Freeze
by Twistedstep
Summary: Tiny Frostkit's whole life is a competition. Her parents are Lionblaze and Cinderheart, and she's expected to live up to their reputations, while keeping up with her four brothers. Her life is fine up until she recieves dark, scarring dreams about her supposed 'future'. When she might not even become a warrior, how long will it take until she cracks?
1. Allegiances and Prologue

**Hi, all. Welcome to _Freeze_! This is my first fanfiction, so it might not be that good. . Enjoy!**

**(You might notice that there's only ThunderClan allegiances below. Or maybe you didn't, and I'm just calling attention to it. Anywho, I decided to go easy on myself and only figure out the future ThunderClan, because they're the only Clan that'll be relevent in the first few chapters. When the other Clans come into play, I'll slap the new allegiances onto whatever chapter I'm on at that time.)**

**Without further ado, here's _Freeze_!**

Allegiances:

ThunderClan:

**Leader:** Bramblestar: Broad-shouldered dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Deputy:** Squirrelflight: Dark ginger she-cat with green eyes and a bushy tail

**Medicine Cat:** Jayfeather: Dark grey mottled tabby tom with blind blue eyes

**Apprentice: Lilypaw**

**Warriors:**

Millie: Striped gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Sorreltail: Tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Leafpool: Light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes; former medicine cat

**Apprentice: Hollypaw**

Spiderleg: Long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

**Apprentice: Stripepaw**

Birchfall: Light brown tabby tom

Whitewing: White she-cat with green eyes

Berrynose: Cream-colored tom

Mousewhisker: Gray and white tom

**Apprentice: Stonepaw**

Poppyfrost: Tortoiseshell she-cat

Lionblaze: Golden tabby tom with amber eyes

**Apprentice: Flowerpaw**

Foxleap: Reddish tabby tom

Icecloud: White she-cat

Toadstep: Black-and-white tom

Briarlight: Dark brown she-cat

Blossomfall: Tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Bumblestripe: Very pale gray tom with black stripes

**Apprentice: Fernpaw**

Dovewing: Pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Ivypool: Silver and white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

Moleclaw: Brown and cream tom

Cherrynose: Ginger she-cat

Seedpelt: Very pale ginger she-cat

Dewfur: Gray tom with amber eyes

Snowstorm: White tom with amber eyes

Ambergaze: Grey she-cat with white paws and amber eyes

**Apprentices:**

Lilypaw: Dark tabby she-cat with white patches

Stonepaw: Pale grey tom

Hollypaw: Black she-cat with blue eyes

Stripepaw: Broad-shouldered dark tabby tom with amber eyes

Fernpaw: Pale cream-colored she-cat with darker cream flecks

Flowerpaw: Tortoiseshell she-cat

**Queens:**

Hazeltail: Small gray and white she-cat

(Mother to Thornclaw's kits: Morningkit: Golden tabby she-cat; Mosskit: Grey tom with blue eyes)

Rosepetal: Dark cream-colored she-cat

(Mother to Foxleap's kits: Redkit: Dark red she-kit; Honeykit: Light cream-colored she-cat; Raykit: Dark cream-colored tom)

Cinderheart: Grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes

(Expecting Lionblaze's kits)

Daisy: Long furred cream-colored she-cat from the horseplace

**Elders:**

Graystripe: Long-haired gray tom

Sandstorm: Pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Dustpelt: Dark brown tabby tom

Brackenfur: Golden brown tabby tom

Thornclaw: Golden brown tabby tom

Brightheart: White she-cat with ginger patches

Cloudtail: Long-haired white tom with blue eyes

**-Line Break that I have no clue how to do-**

**Prologue:**

Jayfeather looked up as he felt someone brush into the medicine cat den. "Hi, Lionblaze," He greeted, reconizing his brother's scent. "What brings you here?" Lionblaze came around to look at the herbs he was sorting.

"Which herb should I take for Cinderheart?" He asked anxiously.

"I _told _you, I'd take them to her when I'm finished with these."

"But can I take them?" Lionblaze pleaded. Jayfeather could hear his tail brushing nervously against the floor of the den.

"Can you please stop leaning over me? You're messing up my piles. And whipping your tail around like that is getting the herbs all dusty. And why do you need the herbs so badly?"

"Because...because Daisy won't let me in the nursery to see Cinderheart without an excuse. She says that the nursery's too crowded with Hazeltail and Rosepetal's kits, that she doesn't want me to get Cinderheart all nervous about the kitting, and Cinderheart can't come out into the clearing to see me because she's too big!"

Hazeltail and Thornclaw's two kits, Morningkit and Mosskit, were nearly six moons old and ready to be apprenticed. However, Rosepetal and Foxleap's kits, Redkit, Raykit, and Honeykit, were only one moon old and would be occupying the nursery for a while.

"The herbs _would_ be an excuse, but I'd like only a medicine cat to give them to her." Jayfeather replied reasonably. "We wouldn't want there to be a mix-up."

Lionblaze sighed and restlessly started to pace the length of the den. "But...but..."

Jayfeather stood up, stretched, and picked up a wad of leaves from where he had sorted them. "Come on, I'll let you go in with me." Lionblaze excitedly padded after his brother into the clearning.

The two toms were halfway to the nursery when Stonepaw, Mousewhisker's apprentice, came limping over.

"Jayfeather, I've got a thorn in my paw!" He wailed, his eyes scrunched up in pain. "And it really hurts!"

Jayfeather set the herbs down and motioned for the apprentice to give him his paw. He grasped the thorn in his jaws and yanked. Stonepaw let out a squeak, and a splash of blood spilled out onto his paw. "Wow, that feels better! Thanks, Jayfeather!" The pale gray tom scamperd back to his mentor.

"Remember, if it starts bleeding again, go see Lilypaw. She'll give you some cobwebs." Jayfeather called.

Lilypaw, Sorreltail and Brackenfur's daughter, had decided to become a medicine cat apprentice after the battle with the Dark Forest. Her sister, Seedpelt, was now a warrior, along with Cloudtail and Brightheart's three kits. Ambergaze, Dewfur, and Snowstorm had all become good warriors of ThunderClan despite the traumatizing first moon of their life.

After that, Dovewing had kitted. Stonepaw, Hollypaw, and Stripepaw. They were supposedly Bumblestripe's kits, but no one knew where the dark tabby coat, huge shoulders, and amber eyes of Stripepaw had come from. Hollypaw had been named after the brave Hollyleaf, and she shared her shadowy black pelt. Not to long after, Poppyfrost found she was expecting Berrynose's kits again, and she had Flowerpaw and Fernpaw. Fernpaw was, of course, named for Ferncloud.

_ThunderClan is strong again._ Jayfeather thought to himself, surveying the happy sounds of the busy camp. Lionblaze cleared his throat not-so-discreetly and Jayfeather picked his herb bundle up again. As he stepped into the nursery, he was overwhelmed with milk scents and the sounds of tiny scuffling paws.

"Hi Jayfeather!" One of the kits squeaked, attempting to pounce on his tail.

"Is that Mosskit?" Jayfeather asked, setting his leaf wrap down and sniffing the air. When he got a pleased squeak in reply, he answered himself. "Yes, you are Mosskit. Now if you'll kindly get out of my way, I can get to Cinderheart."

As Mosskit bounced back to his mother, Jayfeather and Lionblaze made their way to Cinderheart carefully, trying not to tread on anybody's tail.

"Hello, Cinderheart. How are you doing?" Lionblaze asked warmly.

"I'm tired, I'm big, and I'm bored. You're lucky Daisy went to the fresh-kill pile, or you'd be out of here before you can say _mouse-brain_." Cinderheart muttered, shifting around in her nest as much as she could.

"Come on, you can't be that big." Jayfeather snorted. "Here, eat this borage." While Cinderheart chewed up the leaves, he placed his front paw on her stomach. "Well look at that. You are that big. Cinderheart, Lionblaze, you're going to have at least four kits."

"_Four?_" Lionblaze gasped, looking down at his mate. "You're going to have your paws full, Cinderheart. It's lucky you've got all the other queens in here."

"Did you say 'four', Jayfeather?" Cinderheart asked, looking worriedly at the medicine cat. When Jayfeather nodded, she sighed. "When a queen has four or more kits, aren't all of them weak, or one of them is dead when it's born?" Lionblaze, who was cleaning the gray she-cat's head, stopped mid-lick and widened his eyes at his brother.

"Sometimes, but not neccesarily. You're a strong she-cat, Lionblaze is a strong tom, and it's the middle of newleaf. I personally don't think you have anything to worry about, Cinderheart." Jayfeather reassured her. Lionblaze took a deep breath and stood up.

"Do you need anything? Fresh-kill, water, moss?" Lionblaze offered, giving his mate a lick on the cheek.

"No, thank you. I've not had an appitite since dawn." Cinderheart replied. Jayfeather gasped. "What, is something wrong?" The queen fretted.

"No, no, that's great news, Cinderheart! Your kits should come between now and moonhigh." Jayfeather answered, standing up next to his brother. "Now, Lionblaze, let's let Cinderheart have some rest. She'll need it." He padded carefully to the entrance, once again not stepping on any kit-tails, despite being blind.

**-Line break-**

"Come on, Jayfeather! Kits wait for no cat!" Lilypaw exclaimed from the nursery. Jayfeather had been out gathering herbs when Dovewing, Spiderleg, and Stripepaw had found him and relayed the information that Cinderheart was kitting. Now, the dark tabby medicine cat apprentice was in monitoring Cinderheart while Jayfeather gathered the herbs he needed.

Jayfeather trotted out of the nursery with his jaws clamped over the herbs he needed, and Cloudtail poked his white head out of the elder's den.

Not long after the Dark Forest Battle, Dustpelt, Sandstorm and Greystripe had decided to become elders to mourn the deaths of Firestar and Ferncloud. Not too long after, Brackenfur, Thornclaw, Brightheart and Cloudtail had accepted, albeit reluctantly, that they were also growing old and had joined them. Purdy had died a peaceful death of old age, and now hunted in StarClan.

Inside the nursery, Lilypaw had her paw on the queen's swollen stomach. "Come on Cinderheart. It won't be long now." She soothed, looking up as Jayfeather entered beside her. "Took you long enough." She muttered as the medicine cat slid some herbs to Cinderheart. Lilypaw was one of the only cats in ThunderClan who could talk sharply to Jayfeather without getting their ears cuffed. Everyone knew that the normally sharp Jayfeather had a soft spot for the small tabby. If they weren't medicine cats, they'd probably become mates.

"Now, Cinderheart, I've brought you a stick to bite on. And look, Lionblaze brought you some water." Lionblaze set down the wad of soaking moss next to his mate's nest.

"How is she doing?" He wondered, looking fondly at the she-cat.

"Right now she's in pain, so if you'd kindly move out of the way, that would be much appreciated." Lilypaw said, not looking up from where she was feeling Cinderheart's stomach. "Jayfeather, I think the first one's coming!" She exclaimed. This wouldn't be Lilypaw's first kit-birth, but the first one that Jayfeather was letting her do mostly on her own.

"Oh, look! A little tom!" She smiled as the first kit slid out into the nest. Jayfeather nipped the kitting sack and began to lick the kit's fur the wrong way.

"A feisty one too." Jayfeather muttered as the tom tried to batter at his nose.

"And two more toms!" Lilypaw meowed, pushing one to Jayfeather as he set the first one at his mother's belly, and the other to Daisy.

"Cinderheart, you're doing wonderfully. I think you only have two kits left. You can do this." Lilypaw encouraged as Cinderheart moaned sleepily. "Here comes the fourth one! And it's another tom! Okay, only one more!"

"Four toms? Cinderheart, you'll have your paws full more then we thought!" Daisy joked, warming the fourth kit up.

"Yes, Daisy, she knows, but right now, she needs to concentrate!" Lilypaw frowned, poking Cinderheart's belly experimentally. "Er, Jayfeather? Why isn't the last one coming?" She asked worriedly.

"Oh, no! Cinderheart doesn't have enough strength! Come on, Cinderheart. You can't give up now! You still have one more kit to go." Jayfeather meowed. Daisy licked the queens stomach to help.

"And...yes! There it is! A tiny little she-kit! Oh wait...oh no..." The little she-kit wasn't moving or breathing. Lilypaw took the kit in her paws and began to lick the kit fiercly. "I won't let you die, little kit. You have to breathe!" The kit let out a high-pitched wail and everybody in the nursry relaxed. "Phew. I thought she was a goner." Lilypaw set the kit down by her four brothers.

"Cinderheart, what do you think you'll name them?" Daisy asked, surveying the five tiny bodies fighting for room.

The gray queen sighed. "I don't know. Can Lionblaze come in? I bet he'd like to name some." Cinderheart tenderly looked down at her kits.

Once Lionblaze had heard his name he came rushing in, dodging Rosepetal and Hazeltail, along with their kits. "I'm here, Cinderheart! How many are there?"

"We have four sons and a daughter. All heathy. Would you like to name the first one?" Cinderheart offered.

"Sure. I think that gray tom all the way on the end can be called Sootkit. And maybe the golden and white tom next to the she-kit could be Goldkit." Lionblaze suggested.

"They're great. I'd like to name the pure ginger one Firekit, after Firestar. Perhaps Blazekit for the dark golden one, after you." Cinderheart decided. "And what about the she-kit? She's all white!" Cinderheart exclaimed, prodding the she-kit in question. The kit let out a tiny meow and Cinderheart let out a _mrrow_ of laughter. "She looks like a Frostkit. Let's call her Frostkit."

"Perfect, Cinderheart. We have five perfect kits." Lionblaze purred, looking proudly at his mate and kits.

**-Line Break-**

**Well. Hopefully that's satifying as a Prologue. The next chapters will be a bit longer.**

**I'll update every couple of days, depending on if I have a chapter finished or not. Reviews always help ;D**

**-Twistedstep**


	2. Chapter One

**A/N: Gahh. Sorry for such a long wait. Also, if you haven't noticed, I changed the name of the story. It is now _Freeze. _Also, this is written in Frostkit's first person POV.**

**Without any further ado, here is the first chapter!**

The nursery was too small. I snuggled closer to my mother as my brothers scuffled next to me. Ever since Squirrelflight had found that she was expecting Bramblestar's kits, the nursery had been fuller then ever. Bramblestar said it was good news for the Clan, but I found it uncomfortable.

"Frostkit, Frostkit, come and play!" One of my brothers squeaked, barreling into me. I mewed in protest and tried to inch away.

"Frostkit, why don't you play with your brothers? It's been three days and you still haven't opened your eyes." My mother, Cinderheart suggested. "I can't wait to see what color they are. Maybe they'll be blue like Sootkit's or Firekit's. Or they could be amber, like Blazekit's or Goldkits."

I raised my head and reluctantly blinked open my eyes. Wow, the nursery really _was_ as crowded as I had expected. Rosepetal and her three kits slept in the corner, with Hazeltail curled up next to her. Hazeltail's two large kits scuffled in the center of the den. I could barely make out Squirrelflight's orange pelt against the bracken she slept in.

Then, I looked at my mother. She was the prettiest she-cat I had ever seen. Her grey tabby fur seemed to reflect the early morning sun, while her deep blue eyes glinted in surprise.

"Great StarClan! They're gray!" She exclaimed, putting her face up to mine to she could take a closer look. "I didn't know cats could have that color eyes…" She trailed off as my gray brother, Sootkit, tumbled into her.

"Really? Can I see?" Morningkit, Hazeltail's she-kit, asked, padding over. Her creamy golden pelt was smooth and shiny, while mine was soft and fluffy. I anxiously tried to lick it flat.

"Those are some pretty eyes, Frostkit." She murmured. "You'll have the toms falling all over you when you grow up!"

"Hey Frostkit, do you want to explore outside?" Blazekit interrupted my thoughts. I nodded eagerly. Cinderheart looked wary, but when Hazeltail suggested Morningkit come along, she agreed.

"Let's go!" Firekit yelped as he scampered to the entrance on unsteady legs. The rest of us followed after him.

"Be careful out there! Don't get under any cat's paws! Don't mess with the fresh-kill pile! Don't-"

I couldn't hear the rest of Cinderheart's warning because of the bustling sounds of the busy Clan. Warriors and apprentices scurried about, grabbing food off the fresh-kill pile and crowding around Sorreltail, the stand-in deputy while Squirrelflight was in the nursery.

"Hi, kits! Is this your first time out of the nursery?" A large tabby tom asked, his amber eyes kind. A black she-cat stood next to him, holding a plump mouse in her jaws.

"Actually, it's _their_ first time out. _I've_ been out here loads of times. In fact, I'm going to be an apprentice soon." Morningkit meowed proudly. "I'm almost as big as you, Hollypaw." She added, nodding at the black she-cat.

Hollypaw snorted, dropping her mouse. "That may be so, but I'm four moons older then you. And Stripepaw here is bigger then some of the warriors!" She nudged the tom, who must've been Stripepaw. He ducked his head bashfully.

"Well, I'm Morningkit, and these are-"

"I'm Frostkit, and these are my brothers. The gold and white one is Goldkit, the gray one is Sootkit, the dark gold one is Blazekit, for Lionblaze, and the dark ginger one is Firekit, for Firestar." Morningkit shot me a glare, but I wanted to introduce myself.

"Nice to meet you, kits. Welcome to ThunderClan." Stripepaw greeted, his voice deep. "Would you like me and Hollypaw to show you around the camp?" He offered.

"But I was-" Morningkit started, but my brothers and I nodded, eager to be guided by experienced apprentices. "Ungrateful little furballs..." The golden she-kit muttered as she turned and padded in the direction of her brother, who was visiting with Flowerpaw and Fernpaw, the younger apprentices.

"Now, you all know where the nursery is. And over there is the medicine cat den, where Jayfeather and Lilypaw sleep. You go there if you get hurt, or you're not feeling well. Next to it is the elder's den. Across the clearing, you can't see it from here because of the fallen tree, are the warriors' and apprentices' dens. The fresh-kill pile is also over there. If you look up, you can see the Highledge. That's where Bramblestar stands when he calls a Clan meeting. Directly behind it is his den." Hollypaw guestured to all the places with her tail.

"Do you have any questions?" Stripepaw asked. Blazekit, Goldkit, Firekit, Sootkit and I shook our heads.

"Are we allowed to go explore now?" I wondered. "Can we meet some of the warriors?"

Hollypaw nodded. "Yeah, sure. Follow us." She and Stripepaw led the way across the clearing and over the fallen tree. My brothers and I struggled to keep up, our legs weren't as long as theirs were.

"Hey, Ambergaze! Hi, Snowstorm!" Hollypaw called to a gray she-cat and a white tom. When they looked up from grooming, I noticed that they had the exact same strikingly amber eyes.

_So that's why she's named Ambergaze._ I thought to myself.

"Hi, Hollypaw and Stripepaw. Who're the kits?" Snowstorm asked, looking at us.

"These are Lionblaze and Cinderheart's kits, Sootkit, Blazekit, Goldkit, Firekit, and Frostkit. It's their first time out of the nursery." Hollypaw introduced, pointing at us with her tail when she said our names.

"Greetings, kits." Ambergaze meowed, her voice delicate and gentle. "Have you been shown around the camp?"

"Yes, Hollypaw and Stripepaw told us where everything was." Sootkit answered, flicking a tiny gray ear.

"Would you like us to introduce you to some of the other warriors? We're the youngest ones."

_And they're so big! Will I ever be that big?_

"Over there is Sorreltail, the temporary deputy. She's the tortoiseshell she-cat. Next to her are Leafpool, Spiderleg, and Berrynose. They're some of the senior warriors. Standing around them are Foxleap, Icecloud, Blossomfall, and Ivypool." Ambergaze pointed out. She then stood up, shook out her grey pelt, and started to walk away. My eyes widened when I saw how tall she was.

I trotted after her, Hollypaw, Stripepaw and Snowstorm. My brothers quickly followed.

"Hi, Ivypool! Have you met Cinderheart and Lionblaze's new kits?" Snowstorm asked. Ivypool was a silver and white tabby she-cat. I was surprised to see that her whole body was crossed with ugly scars, marring her otherwise beautiful pelt.

"Kits, this is Ivypool. She's one of the most valuable cats in the Clan. During the time before the battle with the Dark Forest, Ivypool was a spy for Firestar. She risked her life for ThunderClan, so as a reward, Bramblestar made her the youngest senior warrior ever." Stripepaw explained, his amber eyes wide with wonder.

"She's also our aunt, since Dovewing is our mother and Ivypool is Dovewing's sister." Hollypaw added.

"Hello, kits! I already know your names; Lionblaze told nearly everyone." Ivypool meowed kindly. "Stripepaw, you're exaggerating a bit. There have probably been younger senior warriors then me." She protested.

Hollypaw shook her head. "No, I asked Graystripe and he said that as far as he had heard, there hadn't been senior warriors as young as you."

"Hello, Ivypool, Ambergaze, Snowstorm, Hollypaw and Stripepaw!" A tortoiseshell and white she-cat, also heavily scarred, trotted over.

"Kits, this is Blossomfall, another one of Stripepaw and my aunts. She's our father, Bumblestripe's, sister." Hollypaw explained.

"Wow, is everyone here related?" Blazekit meowed hesitantly.

Ambergaze thought about that. "Well, I don't _think_ so. But it's hard to know, with so many cats in the Clan. ThunderClan's never had this many warriors!"

Ivypool snorted. "You're exaggerating again. I bet that sometime in the past, ThunderClan's had more warriors than this."

"Well, Graystripe said-"

"My father stretches the truth sometimes, Ambergaze. No matter what he tells you, he doesn't know more then StarClan. Nor has he lived forever." Blossomfall meowed jokingly.

"Well I know _that. _I'm not mouse-brained." Ambergaze sniffed. She turned and padded away, Snowstorm padding after her.

"Did you hurt her feelings? Should we go after her?" I asked, worried about the gray she-cat. I was starting to like her.

Ivypool shook her head. "She'll get over it. Ambergaze always has been unreasonably sensitive."

"Oh. Who else can we meet?" I asked, wanting to see as much as I could.

"Well...I suppose Blossomfall and…"

"Kits? Kits, where are you?" I heard a voice call from the other side of the fallen tree. "Time to come back to the nursery!"

I frowned. It was Cinderheart, and I didn't want to leave camp. The nursery was too crowded, and I liked it out here with the rest of the Clan. However, Blazekit, Firekit, Goldkit and Sootkit stumbled over the fallen tree as soon as mother asked them to, so I decided to follow.

"There you are! Did you have a fun time? I hope you didn't get in the way!" Cinderheart fretted, licking Blazekit's golden head. He wriggled out from under her tongue and snuggled into the nest.

"Of course not." I mewed. "First, Hollypaw and Stripepaw showed us around the clearing and stuff, and they introduced us to Ambergaze and Snowstorm. From there, Ambergaze showed us to Ivypool and Blossomfall! They're so cool! Where did they get all those scars?"

Cinderheart's eyes flashed and she licked my head. "There's a time and place for every story, little one."

**A/N: Lame ending, I know.**

**Reviews are always welcome!**

**Love, Twistedstep.**


	3. Chapter Two

**A/N: Yes, chapter two! I'm on a roll…**

A few mornings later, I sat at the entrance of the nursery, watching Morningkit and Mosskit stumble over to me, excited looks on their faces.

"Frostkit, guess what?" Morningkit cried. I didn't even have a chance to register her question before her brother answered it.

"We're becoming apprentices today! Bramblestar just told Hazeltail and Thornclaw and they told us!" He exclaimed, bouncing up and down on his gray paws.

"Wow, that's really exciting! I wonder who your mentors will be!" I congratulated.

"I don't know…but I hope I get Ivypool! Imagine being the youngest senior warrior's apprentice!" Morningkit bubbled. "Now, I've got to go tell Redkit, Honeykit, and Raykit the news! They'll surely want to know!" The golden she-cat trotted away, closely followed by her brother.

I looked around the clearing. Cats were milling around, sharing the news of the day. Squirrelflight and Bramblestar were sunning themselves outside of his den. The ginger she-cat's stomach had really started to swell.

Two of the apprentices, Fernpaw and Flowerpaw, scuffled near the thorn barrier, while Cloudtail, Brightheart, and Brackenfur shared tongues near the elder's den.

"Hi, Frostkit! How're you doing today?" I turned around and saw Hollypaw sitting with a sparrow in front of her.

"I'm going well, thank you." I replied. "Have you heard? Mosskit and Morningkit are going to become apprentices today!"

"Really? That's great news, but the apprentices' den will be a bit crowded with me, Stonepaw, Stripepaw, Fernpaw, and Flowerpaw all in there. But still, I'm happy for them." The black she-cat smiled.

"With more apprentices, ThunderClan will be able to catch more prey. And with more prey, the Clan will grow faster." I reasoned. "So it's a good idea to have more apprentices."

"Such wise words from one so young." I whipped my head around to see who had spoken. It was Sandstorm, the oldest she-cat in the Clan, and Firestar's former mate.

"H-hi, Sandstorm!" I spluttered, not knowing what to say.

"Hello, little Frostkit. You may not know this, but I am your great-grandmother. See, Leafpool is my daughter, and she is Lionblaze's mother. Lionblaze is your father, so therefore you are my great-granddaughter. Welcome to ThunderClan." The old pale ginger she-cat greeted.

"Thank you, Sandstorm." I was about to ask her something else, but I noticed that Bramblestar had hopped to the top of Highledge and had given the trademark call.

"Would all ThunderClan cats old enough to catch their own prey please gather below the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" The dark tabby yowled.

I scampered over to where my brothers and mother were sitting. I sat down in between Firekit and Sootkit, and Cinderheart gave me a lick on the top of my white head.

"Today, I have the joy to perform one of my favorite duties. Morningkit and Mosskit, please step forward." The two siblings, their fur freshly groomed, proudly padded over to the Highledge.

I watched in awe as Morningkit and Mosskit received their new names and mentors. Morning_paw_'s new mentor was Icecloud, and Moss_paw_'s new mentor was Foxleap. Foxleap and Icecloud, being siblings themselves, seemed very happy about this.

I began to walk over to the pair, but my mother pulled me back. "I think you should let them introduce themselves to their new denmates and mentors first." Cinderheart reasoned.

"But they're my friends!" I complained.

"They were your friends. Now they have duties that they have to do." Cinderheart told me.

I shrank back down. "I liked it better when they were kits." I huffed.

…

When I woke up a few mornings after the new apprentices' ceremony, I heard a commotion in the clearing. I stood up, shook moss from my pelt, and padded out to see what was going on.

Bramblestar stood in the middle of the clearing, talking to an unfamiliar grey she-cat. Other cats grouped around them.

I scampered over to where Hollypaw, Stonepaw, and Stripepaw stook, ears pricked to hear what was going on.

"Who's the new cat?" I heard a voice behind me. It was two of my brothers, Sootkit and Goldkit.

I shrugged. "I don't know, I just got out here. Let's ask Hollypaw." I prodded the black she-cat with my paw.

"Hollypaw! Who's Bramblestar talking to?"

"I'm not sure, but he seems to know her." The apprentice answered.

"Floss!" A cry came from the nursery. Daisy rushed out, her long, cream-colored fur flying behind her.

"Daisy, is that you?" The gray-and-white she-cat trotted up to the queen. "It is you! Oh Daisy, I thought I'd never see you again!"

"What are you doing here? What happened to Smokey?"

"Smokey's dead." Floss deadpanned. Daisy gasped.

"What? How did he die?" Hazeltail, Berrynose, and Mousewhisker pushed their way to where Floss stood.

"I don't really know. One day, he's fine, the next day, he's so sick that he can't even stand." Floss answered, her tail drooping.

Daisy draped her tail around Floss' neck. "It'll be okay."

By that time, the cats that had gathered around Floss and Bramblestar had begun to mutter amongst themselves.

"Who is she?"

"Why is Daisy so friendly with her?"

"She does look familiar, but I don't know how I know her…"

"Silence!" Bramblestar yowled as he hopped to the top of the Highledge.

"This is Floss." He began, "She used to live in the Horseplace over by RiverClan territory. She is, in fact, Daisy's littermate, so therefore she is Hazeltail, Berrynose, and Mousewhisker's aunt. She tells me that her former mate has died, so she came to find Daisy." Bramblestar explained, nodding his head at the gray-and-white she-cat.

"She is also expecting her former mate's kits. So, if we allow her into ThunderClan, she will stay in the nursery with Daisy until they are born."

"What do you mean, _if_ we _allow her into ThunderClan_? We can't keep taking in loners just because they ask us if they can!" Dustpelt called from the entrance of the elders' den.

"Where else will she go, then?" Millie answered. "If ThunderClan hadn't let me in, I wouldn't have had anywhere I could go."

Graystripe brushed his gray head up against his mate's. "I would have fought to keep you in ThunderClan."

"Yeah, what Millie said! We're fine warriors of ThunderClan, and we were loners before!" Berrynose growled. "Would anyone doubt our skills." He tossed his wide, cream head.

"Still, I don't think it's a good idea." Spiderleg reasoned. Daisy shot him a sharp look. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I think letting Floss in would help build ThunderClan, but what will the other Clans say?"

Bramblestar dipped his head to the cats that put in their ideas. "I respect all of you, but I think we should let Floss in. Where else is she to go? Her kits will become good warriors, and so will she."

Floss beamed up to Bramblestar. "Thank you so much!" Daisy nudged her in the direction of the nursery.

"Not so fast, Daisy. I still have a question to ask Floss." Bramblestar meowed. Floss looked back up to him, her wide, blue eyes sparkling.

"Floss, would you like a Clan name?" The broad-shouldered dark tabby asked.

Floss cocked her gray-and-white head. "I think I would, actually. It would make me feel more at home here."

Bramblestar smiled. "Good. I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, say these words before StarClan so they may approve my choice. Floss wishes to join ThunderClan, and I give her the name of Flossfeather."

"Flossfeather. I like the sound of that." The newly named Flossfeather meowed.

Daisy raised her head. "Er, Bramblestar? I think I would like a Clan name too, finally." She spoke up, looking a bit nervous.

"Okay. I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, say these words before StarClan so they may approve my choice. Daisy, I give you the name of Daisyfur."

…

After the clearing had finally cleared out, I found myself helping Flossfeather into her new nest in the nursery. I plucked some moss from my own nest, and brought it over.

"Here, Flossfeather." I squeaked, dropping the moss at my feet.

"Thank you, little one. What's your name?" Flossfeather asked, her eyes kind.

"I'm Frostkit! My mother is Cinderheart, my father is Lionblaze, and my brothers are Goldkit, Sootkit, Firekit, and Blazekit!" I was quite proud of my family.

"Nice to meet you, Frostkit." Flossfeather snuggled down into her newly made nest and fell asleep.

I tried to run back to Cinderheart's nest, but I couldn't, due to the amount of cats in the nursery. "Mother, the nursery is too crowded." I complained, plopping down beside Goldkit.

"I know, Frostkit, but it's a good thing. More kits means more warriors." Cinderheart reminded me. I sighed.

"But can't there be more room? I'm squashed!"

"You're small, you'll fit."

"Moth-_er_!"

Cinderheart licked my head. "I'll ask Sorreltail to tell Bramblestar in the morning. Now fall asleep, little one."

A/N: **Haha, a new member of ThunderClan. Also, it has bothered me that Daisy never got a Clan name. Result: I gave her one.**

**I may not update right away next time. I'm mighty busy this week.**

**Reviews are always appreciated!**

**Love, Twistedstep.**


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three:**

"Unfair, Goldkit, you cheated!" I complained as my brother pinned me to the ground again. My brothers and I had been play-fighting for most of the morning, and I had yet to win a match.

"No, I didn't. It's not my fault that you're as small as a mouse." Goldkit retorted, turning away from me. Firekit, Blazekit, and Sootkit shook with little _mrrows_ of laughter. All of my brothers had grown in the moon after Morningpaw and Mosspaw's apprentice ceremony. I had yet to grow even a bit.

"Yeah, Frostkit, when are you going to grow? You've been that small since you were born." Blazekit added.

I was hurt, but I knew they were right. I licked a white paw and rubbed it across my ears, trying to look impassive.

"You're nearly as small as Vixenkit, and she was only born a few days ago!" Sookit teased, jumping out of the way as I took a swipe at him. "See? You can't even hit me!"

Vixenkit was Squirrelflight and Bramblestar's newborn daughter. She was the only one of her litter.

As if Sootkit's comment had somehow summoned her, Vixenkit herself tottered out of the nursery, closely followed by her mother. Vixenkit, it seemed, had dark red tabby fur, dainty white forepaws, and a long bushy tail. She had also inherited her mother's green eyes.

Almost immediately, Leafpool trotted up to her sister and niece. "Hi, Squirrelflight! Is this Vixenkit?" The light brown tabby she-cat bubbled.

Squirrelflight nodded proudly. "Yes. I'm off to show Bramblestar that she's opened her eyes. Look, they're almost exactly like Firestar's." The ginger she-cat meowed reminiscently. Leafpool nodded sadly.

The sisters padded away in the direction of the Highledge, carefully keeping Vixenkit in between them.

"How come we never got that much attention?" Goldkit complained.

Firekit shrugged. "Since Vixenkit's the only one in her litter, her mother and father will probably see much more of her. And that's beside the fact that her father is the leader and her mother is the deputy."

Goldkit snorted. "Firekit, why do you have to think things through? Why can't I sulk in peace without you barging in and making me see logic?"

"Because, Goldkit, without it you'd be dumber than a mouse!" Sootkit retorted. I giggled.

"Kits, come over here. I'm going to have you try fresh-kill." I heard Lionblaze's voice from over near the fresh-kill pile. He held some sort of small brown animal in his jaws.

**…**

"Hollynight! Stoneclaw! Stripefang!" I cheered as my friends finally received their warrior's names. They deserved it.

"That'll be us up there soon!" I meowed to my brothers, who were grouped around me.

"Maybe, but if you don't grow anymore, you won't even become an apprentice!" Sootkit pointed out.

"Sootkit, that isn't nice. Apologize to your sister right now." Cinderheart reprimanded as she gave her gray son a cuff over the ear.

"Sorry, Frostkit." Sootkit huffed, and then turned away to talk with Raykit, who was on his other side.

"Mother, are they right? Will I ever grow?" I looked up at Cinderheart, and she licked my head.

"Of course you will, Frostkit. All kits grow at different rates. Don't listen to what your brothers tell you. Did you know that Icecloud, Hazeltail, and Blossomfall were all small when they were kits? Also, both Dovewing and Ivypool were tiny little she-cats. Look at where they are now!" Cinderheart replied.

"Wow…"

**…**

Nearly three moons later, I was getting tired of my brothers. Their non-stop degrading chatter of everybody and everything in the camp was really starting to bug me. They'd make fun of Jayfeather and how he was blind, Berrynose's tail (or lack thereof), and the fact that they believed that Flossfeather didn't belong in ThunderClan.

"Will you guys just _shut up_?" I finally yelled.

"-Mosspaw thinks that Fernpaw doesn't like him- What did you say, Frostkit?" Goldkit called back. "I was in the middle of something important!"

"If gossiping about the apprentices is considered 'important', then I think you guys seriously need to get a new hobby." I deadpanned.

Blazekit looked affronted. "We're sharing news! That's not gossiping!"

I sighed. "It's gossiping if you're spreading things that aren't true."

"Mosspaw's relationship with Fernpaw is totally true! First they were together, and then they weren't together, and Mosspaw thought that Fernpaw was seeing Dewfur behind his back and then-"

"Please, don't tell me the whole story. I honestly don't need to know." I meowed seriously.

Firekit huffed. "You're no fun, Frostkit."

"I may be no fun, but at least I don't lounge around all day spreading tales about my own Clanmates!" I replied.

Firekit opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, but he was cut off by a high-pitched squeal from the nursery. Daisyfur scrambled out of the nursery.

"Quick, get Jayfeather and Lilypaw! Flossfeather's kits are coming!" She wailed. "And I think there's something wrong!"

I quickly stood up, and ran to the medicine cat den. "Jayfeather, Lilypaw? Are you in here? Daisyfur says that Flossfeather's kits are coming, but something's not right!" I called. Almost immediately, Lilypaw slid out of the den, carrying something in her mouth.

"Jayfeather will be right out; he just needs to get more herbs." The dark tabby medicine cat apprentice meowed, and then rushed over to the nursery.

Not long after, Jayfeather emerged from his den with leaves clamped in his jaws. I followed behind him.

**…**

The Clan was in disarray. Flossfeather had been in labor for several hours now. Daisyfur had been kicked out of the nursery by Lilypaw, who had said that she was upsetting Flossfeather. She was now pacing anxiously across the camp. Bramblestar, Squirrelflight, and Vixenkit sat at the top of the Highledge, somberly gazing at the nursery.

The only cats that seemed to be oblivious to the tension in the Clan were my brothers. They still frolicked in the corner of the clearing, 'sharing news' and play fighting. I was embarrassed to be related to them.

Lionblaze and Cinderheart had tried to get them to calm down, but they couldn't. I could see Daisyfur shooting the four of them looks full of hate.

I had originally followed Jayfeather into the nursery, but I had immediately turned around after I had seen how much pain Flossfeather was in. I couldn't bear to see her spread out in her nest, her swollen belly rippling, her mouth open in a soundless cry.

I was now seated in between Redkit and Honeykit, two of the older kits from Rosepetal's litter. In the past moon, I had grown closer to them because they shared my annoyance with my brothers. They had come to sit next to me after I had emerged from the nursery, shaken and full of fear.

"Honeykit, Redkit, do you think Flossfeather will survive?" I looked up to the other kits. Even though they were only about a moon older than me, they were already around half a mouse-length taller than me.

Redkit shook her head. "I know nothing about kits or queens, Frostkit, and I am a kit. I saw your kitting, and Vixenkit's kitting, but it was nothing like this. Neither Squirrelflight nor Cinderheart were in any pain."

Honeykit nodded in agreement. "This is something different. I do believe there is something going horribly wrong with Flossfeather's kitting."

**A/N: Now there's a cliff-hanger. This chapter was mostly filler, but important filler. You start to get a look at Frostkit's relationship with her brothers, and how she feels about the rest of the Clan. **

**Also, I need names for Flossfeather's kits. I was thinking two, a she-kit and a tom. I'd personally like original names, but not crazy ones. This means no Mudkits or Grasskits, but no Dragonkits either.**

**Reviews are always welcomed!**

**Love, Twistedstep.**


	5. Chapter Four

**A/N: Well, I decided to write a new chapter today, so that didn't give enough time for anyone to give in any names for Flossfeather's kits. I apologize to anyone who wished to do so.**

**Anywho, here's the fourth chapter. And, at the bottom, I added an updated Allegiances!**

**...**

I looked over to my brothers over on the edges of the camp. Right then, I really hated them. They acted like they didn't care if Flossfeather died or not. Knowing them, they probably didn't.

Then it hit me. Flossfeather might die. Judging from the yowls from inside the nursery, there was a good chance she wouldn't survive. I didn't want to think about it.

However, I knew that neither Jayfeather nor Lilypaw would let Flossfeather die in kit-birth.

A cry of joy came from the nursery just then. A rush of dark tabby fur shot from the entrance and ran into the middle of the camp.

"She did it! Flossfeather is still very weak, there was a lot of blood spilled, but she has two precious kits. There is nothing to worry about." The medicine cat apprentice announced. The Clan erupted into loud meows of happiness.

I bounced up and down on my paws. "Isn't this great, Redkit?" I asked, turning to the red she-kit sitting next to me. She nodded.

"The little kits will be so cute!"

"I wonder what she's going to name them…"

"I bet they look like her, she's got Daisyfur's genes and her kits almost always turn out like miniature Daisyfurs."

I walked across the clearing and poked my head into the nursery. Flossfeather lay in her nest, her head drooping to the side. Jayfeather stood over her, attempting to feed her some sort of herb. Daisyfur watched them carefully from her own nest.

"Finally, this is over. What a waste of my day." I whirled around, trying to find the source of the snide comment. It was my brother, Goldkit.

That did it.

"Are you really that mouse-brained? Do you think that kit-birth is a waste of time? Do you even care that Flossfeather could have died because of this?" I stalked up to them and meowed angrily in Goldkit's face.

"Can you be any more ignorant? You'll never become a proper ThunderClan warrior if you can't even accept that being part of a Clan means that you support each and every member! Sometimes I don't think you're mature enough to even become apprentices."

Firekit snorted. "You think _we're_ not mature? Who's the one screaming at her littermates in the middle of the camp? And being a warrior is mostly based off of size and strength. You have neither."

I shrunk back from him as if I was stung. "For your information, having only size and strength without any know-how or compassion is a one-way trip to the Dark Forest."

At that, I turned around and padded into the nursery with my head held high.

"If you feel that way about us, maybe you shouldn't sleep in our nest anymore!" I heard Blazekit yell. I didn't look back, but a rustling sound coming from Squirrelflight's nest caught my attention.

"Frostkit, if you don't want to sleep with them, you're welcome to share Squirrelflight and my nest." A soft voice mewed. I looked closer, and found that it was Vixenkit, curled up at the bottom of the circle of moss.

"Vixenkit's right, Frostkit. You can stay with us for however long you need." Squirrelflight's dark orange form came up beside me, and nudged me to their nest.

"Thank you, Squirrelflight and Vixenkit." Cinderheart meowed. "I'll be having a talk with my sons." The gray she-cat shot a sharp glance to my four brothers and roughly prodded them out of the entrance of the nursery.

Vixenkit patted a spot next to her with her little white forepaws. "You can sleep here." She told me. Squirrelflight promptly laid down across the back of the nest, and her daughter resumed her ball-like position. I had no choice but to curl up next to Vixenkit's sleeping form and fall asleep.

**…**

"Frostkit, look! Flossfeather's kits have opened their eyes!" Vixenkit exclaimed as she pounced on my back. "They're adorable!"

It was a few days later, and nearly every cat in ThunderClan was anxiously awaiting the moment that Flossfeather's kits would open their eyes. Flossfeather said that she wouldn't name the kits until they had opened their eyes. It was an odd custom, but the gray-and-white queen seemed attached to it.

I stood up, shook the excess moss off of my pelt, and trotted over to Flossfeather's nest. Inside it, nestled against Flossfeather herself, laid two of the cutest kits I had ever seen. One of them, the she-kit, was completely gray, and she had wide blue eyes. Her brother, a gray-and-black tabby, had large green eyes.

"So, what are you going to name them?" Redkit asked, nudging the tiny tom with her nose. "They're _so_ cute."

"I think I'll call the little gray she-kit Poolkit, and the tom can be Nettlekit. I do hope that sounds alright." Flossfeather worried.

I giggled. "Those are perfect names! They'll be wonderful Clan cats, I can feel it." I promised her, licking the she-kit on her head.

**…**

"Frostkit, your new name will be Frostpaw. Your mentor will be Whitewing, and I hope that she will teach you all she knows. Clan dismissed." Bramblestar hopped off of the Highledge.

I couldn't believe it. I was actually an apprentice, with an experienced senior warrior as my mentor. Firepaw had received Berrynose as a mentor, Sootpaw received Cherrynose, Goldpaw got Moleclaw, and Blazepaw got Blossomfall.

"Frostpaw, Frostpaw!" Redpaw and Honeypaw cheered loudly. The sisters had gotten their apprentice names, along with their mentors. Honeypaw was being trained by Poppyfrost, Redpaw was, the lucky she-cat, being mentored by Ivypool, and their brother Raypaw had gotten Toadstep as a mentor.

Also, not long after Flossfeather's kits had been named, Jayfeather and his apprentice returned from the Moonpool, Lilypaw proudly bearing the new medicine cat name of Lilyblossom.

I trotted up to Whitewing excitedly. "Do you think that we could go see the territory now?" I asked her eagerly.

The other white she-cat shook her head. "Sorry, but I don't think so, Frostkit. It's getting a bit late out and I don't want you to be out in the forest at night, especially with that fox on the loose."

"There's a fox on the loose?" I hadn't heard that. "Where?"

Whitewing shrugged. "I don't know, but Birchfall's patrol a couple of days ago said they scented new fox scent over by the abandoned Twoleg nest."

My head drooped. "Okay." I sighed.

"But that doesn't mean that we can't patrol tomorrow. However, right now, the elders' den needs cleaning. You can find fresh moss and mouse bile in Jayfeather's den." My new mentor told me.

I shuddered at the thought of mouse bile. All the apprentices complained that it smelled horrid, and tasted even worse. I suppose that's why ticks didn't like it. I smiled when I saw that Firepaw and Sootpaw were already coming out of the medicine cat's den with wads of moss dripping with something that smelled disgusting.

I quickly padded to the medicine cat's den, grabbed a mouthful of new-smelling moss, and brought it to the elder's den underneath the honeysuckle bush.

_This is the starting of the rest of our lives._

**…  
**

**A/N: Why are my endings always so lame? Whoever can guess what song that quote is from gets a request that I will put in the story. :D**

**Updated Allegiances:**

ThunderClan:

**Leader:** Bramblestar: Broad-shouldered dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Deputy:** Squirrelflight: Dark ginger she-cat with green eyes and a bushy tail

**Medicine Cat:** Jayfeather: Dark grey mottled tabby tom with blind blue eyes

**Apprentice: Lilyblossom**

**Warriors:**

Millie: Striped gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Sorreltail: Tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Leafpool: Light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes; former medicine cat

Spiderleg: Long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

Birchfall: Light brown tabby tom

Whitewing: White she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentice: Frostpaw**

Berrynose: Cream-colored tom

**Apprentice: Firepaw**

Mousewhisker: Gray and white tom

Hazeltail: Small gray and white she-cat

Poppyfrost: Tortoiseshell she-cat

**Apprentice: Honeypaw**

Cinderheart: Gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Lionblaze: Golden tabby tom with amber eyes

**Apprentice: Flowerpaw**

Foxleap: Reddish tabby tom

**Apprentice: Mosspaw**

Icecloud: White she-cat

**Apprentice: Morningpaw**

Toadstep: Black-and-white tom

**Apprentice: Raypaw**

Rosepetal: Dark cream-colored she-cat

Briarlight: Dark brown she-cat

Blossomfall: Tortoiseshell and white she-cat

**Apprentice: Blazepaw**

Bumblestripe: Very pale gray tom with black stripes

**Apprentice: Fernpaw**

Dovewing: Pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Ivypool: Silver and white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

**Apprentice: Redpaw**

Moleclaw: Brown and cream tom

**Apprentice: Goldpaw**

Cherrynose: Ginger she-cat

**Apprentice: Sootpaw**

Seedpelt: Very pale ginger she-cat

Dewfur: Gray tom with amber eyes

Snowstorm: White tom with amber eyes

Ambergaze: Gray she-cat with white paws and amber eyes

Stoneclaw: Pale gray tom

Stripefang: Broad-shouldered dark tabby tom with amber eyes

Hollynight: Black she-cat with blue eyes

**Apprentices:**

Lilyblossom: Dark tabby she-cat with white patches

Fernpaw: Pale cream-colored she-cat with darker cream flecks

Flowerpaw: Tortoiseshell she-cat

Morningpaw: Golden tabby she-cat

Mosspaw: Gray tom with blue eyes

Redpaw: Dark red she-cat

Raypaw: Dark cream-colored tom

Honeypaw: Light cream-colored she-cat

Frostpaw: Tiny white she-cat

Firepaw: Dark ginger tom

Blazepaw: Dark gold tabby tom

Goldpaw: Gold and white tabby tom

Sootpaw: Gray tabby tom

**Queens:**

Squirrelflight: Dark ginger she-cat with green eyes and a bushy tail

(Mother to Bramblestar's kit: Vixenkit- dark red tabby she-cat with white forepaws and a bushy tail)

Flossfeather: Small gray and white she-cat from the Horseplace

(Mother to Poolkit- Small gray she-cat with blue eyes; Nettlekit- small black and gray tabby tom with green eyes)

Daisyfur: Long furred cream-colored she-cat from the Horseplace

**Elders:**

Graystripe: Long-haired gray tom

Sandstorm: Pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Dustpelt: Dark brown tabby tom

Brackenfur: Golden brown tabby tom

Thornclaw: Golden brown tabby tom

Brightheart: White she-cat with ginger patches

Cloudtail: Long-haired white tom with blue eyes

**...**

**A/N: New Allegiances are always good. **

**Reviews are greatly appreciated. **

**P.S.: Readers, I know you're out there. I've gotten nearly two hundred hits on this story, and only three reviews. You know, some authors would stop writing due to not nearly enough reviews. However, I won't do that, because I love this story, and the fact that I think writing is keeping me sane. xP**

**Love, Twistedstep.**


	6. Chapter Five

**A/N: Hello, there! I think I'm getting better with these fast updates. Plus, this is my longest chapter! Without this author's note and the one at the bottom, it's 2,223 words long. **

**Enjoy Chapter Five of _Freeze_!**

"Come on, Frostpaw, jump, _then_ swipe!" Whitewing called from the edge of the training clearing. I was training with Honeypaw, and Poppyfrost examined her moves from the other side.

"You can do it, Honeypaw, just take her legs out from under her!" Poppyfrost suggested, her normally soft voice commanding.

Finally, Honeypaw managed to pin me underneath her. The cream-colored she-cat stood up and smiled proudly. "How was that, Poppyfrost?" She asked her mentor.

The tortoiseshell she-cat nodded. "That was very good, Honeypaw. You could have moved a little faster on the jump and turn combination, but other than that you did very well." She critiqued.

"Now, about you, Frostpaw." Whitewing started sternly. "You started out strong, but then you just sort of faded away. You won't win fights unless you keep up your strength for the entire thing." I hung my head sadly. "You're fast, but Honeypaw is bigger than you and she'll be able to catch you. You need to be strong _and_ fast."

I nodded. "Whitewing, I do try, but I don't think I'm made out to be a fighter."

"Frostpaw, of course you'll be a fighter. I'll get you to warrior status if it's the last thing this I do." My white mentor told me determinedly. "I think that's enough battle training for now. We'll go practice your hunting skills now, Frostpaw." She trotted back into the forest.

It was about a quarter moon into my apprenticeship, and I wasn't doing very well. I found that I wasn't a very good fighter, I was an average hunter, and I wasn't very good at getting rid of ticks. The only thing that I could do well was keep up with the older warriors on border patrols. Also, I could catch rabbits due to my speed.

"Today you will be learning how to catch birds." Whitewing told me. "First, let's see if you can scent any around here." She instructed.

I opened my mouth to smell things better. I thought that I could smell a large bird to my left, so I told my mentor that. She nodded.

"Good, Frostpaw. That's a blackbird's scent. Do you know how you catch birds?" She quizzed me. I thought about that for a moment.

"Yes, I-I think so." I stammered, embarrassed about being put on the spot. "You have to silently creep up on them, and then leap as far as you can up into the trees and catch it."

Whitewing nodded in approval. "Correct. Now, what do you do if the bird is on the ground?"

"The same sneaking, but instead of leaping into the tree to catch it, you should stop a couple of mouse lengths away and jump for it from there."

"Perfect. I've got a bit of trivia for you. Did you know that your father, Lionblaze, came up with that move? Of course, he tried it from fox lengths away. I don't think you should try that today."

I nodded in agreement. "Can I go try to catch the blackbird now?" I asked impatiently. I wanted to show her that I knew how to actually do the skills, not just talk about them.

"Yes, and once you've caught it you can go ahead and try to catch more prey. I've got to go on the sunhigh patrol, so bring your catches back to the camp when you've found all you can." She instructed. I watched my white mentor walk away, then turned to the task at hand.

_Blackbird, I'm coming to catch you._

I crept in the direction of the bird, carefully placing my tiny white paws in places where there weren't any brambles or sticks that would give away my location. It wasn't very hard, due to the size of my paws.

Soon, I caught sight of the bird, and I began to lower myself into a leaping position. The blackbird was perched on one of the branches of an elm tree, pecking at the bark.

I gathered my haunches underneath me and sprung up to where the bird was. I hooked my extended claws around it, and nipped its neck before it could let out a warning cry. _Thank you StarClan, for letting me catch this prey for the Clan._ I thought, proud of my kill. I hopped down from the tree, and buried my kill near the bottom of it.

As I was scraping earth over the top of the blackbird, I scented my favorite type of animal to catch. _Rabbit. _It was somewhere to my left, so I pricked my ears to find its exact location. I spotted a little brown tail sticking out from underneath a berry bush, and I gave chase.

The rabbit immediately started to run, but I had a head start. I quickly caught up to it and leapt onto it. I stood up proudly, the rabbit heavy in my jaws. _Whitewing will be so proud of me. This'll feed both Squirrelflight and Flossfeather._

**…**

I trotted back to camp, my head held high and my catches swinging from my mouth. After the blackbird and the rabbit, I had caught a tiny vole nibbling at a beechnut, and two more smaller-looking rabbits. In all, I thought that it was a pretty good haul.

When I entered the clearing, I was ambushed by kits. "Frostpaw, what did you catch?" A little meow that I recognized as Poolkit's squeaked. I set my catches down so they could examine them.

"Look at the baby vole! I think Flossfeather would like that." Vixenkit commented, prodding the little animal with her paw. "She can have it, if she wants it. But first, I have to show this to Whitewing." I picked my fresh-kill up again, and walked over to where my mentor was sharing tongues with her daughters, Dovewing and Ivypool.

"Whitewing, look what I caught!" I tried to meow through the fur in my mouth. It wasn't exactly understandable, but it caught her attention.

"Wow, Frostpaw, those are some good catches. I see that you particularly like to catch rabbits, huh?" She commented, nudging the rabbits. I nodded.

"They're easier to catch for me because I'm faster than them." I told her.

"That's very good. You could drop those off at the fresh-kill pile, and deliver some to the queens." I turned away to follow her instructions, and she called after me, "Don't forget, Frostpaw, the Gathering is tonight. I'm going to ask Bramblestar if you can come."

I quickly gave Flossfeather her vole, and Squirrelflight one of the small rabbits, then set the remaining prey on the fresh-kill pile.

"Frostpaw, I heard that you're going to the Gathering tonight! That's so exciting!" Morningpaw's meow sounded behind me. The golden tabby she-cat stood there with her brother at her shoulder. "Mosspaw and I are also going, and so are Flowerpaw, Fernpaw, and Redpaw."

I was puzzled. "But wait- aren't any of my brothers going? They seemed pretty confident that they were when each of them pummeled me in battle training yesterday." I explained. It was true, Firepaw, Blazepaw, Sootpaw, and Goldpaw had each walked away, bragging that they were surely going to the Gathering.

Morningpaw shook her head. "They were, originally, but they were messing around too much during the border patrols this morning that Bramblestar decided they weren't fit to meet with the other Clans yet."

"Well, that makes sense. How come Honeypaw or Raypaw aren't going?"

"Raypaw was with your brothers; he's not allowed to come. Honeypaw offered to stay with Dewfur in the medicine cat den while he's recovering from his cold. I think she really likes him." Mosspaw explained. "I don't see why she has to stay with him, though. He'll be just fine with Brightheart to stay with him."

Morningpaw rolled her blue eyes. "Don't be so thick. We all can clearly see that you're padding after Fernpaw, so I wouldn't be talking." I giggled. Mosspaw looked at his sister in mock hurt.

"How could you be so cruel, Morningpaw? I thought we were littermates!" He meowed in a tone of voice that made Morningpaw and me fall to the ground in fits of laughter. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go sit with Fernpaw now." He stuck up his chin and walked away.

"Well, that's my brother for you." Morningpaw meowed once we had settled down. I nodded.

"Look, Bramblestar's going to announce who's going to the Gathering! Let's get closer." I suggested, walking over to where the dark tabby tom stood on the Highledge.

"Cats of ThunderClan, tonight is the Gathering, and these are the cats that I have chosen to join me in going; Sorreltail, Jayfeather, Millie, Hazeltail, Leafpool, Rosepetal, Lilyblossom, Foxleap, Icecloud, Bumblestripe, Ivypool, Whitewing, Ambergaze, Morningpaw, Mosspaw, Fernpaw, Flowerpaw, Frostpaw, Graystripe and Brackenfur. I trust that the rest of you can defend the camp if there is a need to do so." Bramblestar hopped off of the Highledge, and made his way to the entrance of the camp.

"Also, if any of you have any medical emergencies, Brightheart and Briarlight are here!" Sorreltail, Squirrelflight's stand-in deputy, added as she followed the leader into the forest.

Morningpaw, Redpaw and I were near the end of the mass of cats. "Morningpaw, what's the Gathering like?" Redpaw asked the older apprentice.

"It's actually kind of boring if you've been there a lot and there's not much to tell. However, if it's your first time, it's incredibly exciting. There are so many cats, and they're all different! There's this one really, really cute RiverClan tom who-"

"Morningpaw, we don't need your spiel. Last time we went to a Gathering, she was talking non-stop about this one ShadowClan tom, and, honestly, we couldn't care less." Flowerpaw meowed from behind us.

Flowerpaw looked like a miniature version of her mother, Poppyfrost, with her tortoiseshell fur and white back paws. Her sister, Fernpaw, had her father, Berrynose's coat, cream-colored and long-furred. She resembled her grandmother, Daisyfur very much.

They were walking just behind us with Mosspaw by their sides. The ThunderClan patrol was rounded off with Rosepetal and Foxleap happily trotting along in the back.

"What do the other cats look like?" I questioned. I wanted to get all the information I could get before I got to the island, so I didn't just wander around like a bumbling mouse-brain.

"There will be many different cats there, so I'll only tell you the important ones. The leader of WindClan is named Onestar, he's a brown tabby. His deputy is Heathertail, a light brown tabby she-cat with the most beautiful eyes ever, they're sort of a blue-purple color. She's got the toms falling all over her, but she chooses to never take a mate-"

"Morningpaw, please, we don't need _all_ the details. Just some of them, or else we'll be here all night." Fernpaw rolled her eyes.

"Well sor_ry_." Morningpaw huffed. "Anyway, some of the nicer WindClan cats include Whitetail, Ashfoot, and Tornear, they're the elders, Emberfoot, Sedgewhisker, and Whiskernose, and then Kestrelflight, the medicine cat, and his apprentice, Risingpaw. I think Risingpaw is totally adorable, he's this pretty gold and black combination, and his eyes are bright blue! Too bad he's a medicine cat apprentice, or else I would _totally_-"

Flowerpaw cleared her throat. "Can we get a move on here? Frostpaw and Redpaw don't want you to ramble on about the WindClan medicine cat apprentice." She meowed.

"Fine, Flowerpaw. But there's no need to be all bossy about it. RiverClan's leader is Mistystar, an old blue-gray she-cat. Her deputy is Reedwhisker, a very hunky black tom, and the medicine cat is Willowshine, a gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes. Some of the other cats that I'm friends with are Petalfur, Grasspelt, Pebblefoot, and Rushtail. They're all warriors. I also know Graymist, Duskfur, and Dapplenose, who are all elders." Morningpaw told Redpaw and me.

"Wow, how do you know all of these cats?" Redpaw asked curiously. I actually was wondering the same thing.

The golden she-cat shrugged. "I'm a very social cat, I suppose. Also, all the toms just crowd around me because I'm so beautiful." She smiled.

Mosspaw snorted. "Yeah, right. If that's true, how come no tom in ThunderClan likes you?" He asked his sister.

Morningpaw stuck out her bottom lip. "That's nothing to worry about. They're bound to pick up on my beauty sometime. Now, time to tell you about ShadowClan. Their leader is Blackstar, a big white tom with black paws. He's very old, and on his last life, so their deputy Rowanclaw might have to take over soon. Rowanclaw's a reddish tom, and their medicine cat is the very, very old Littlecloud, who's a brown tabby, and his new apprentice is Lavenderpaw, a light gray tabby she-cat.

"There aren't many cats from ShadowClan that I like, but I am friends with Dawnpelt, Starlingwing, and Shiningpaw. You'll probably meet Shiningpaw at the Gathering; she's a pretty blue-gray she-cat with white patches and blue eyes. Her mentor is Tawnypelt, Bramblestar's sister." Morningpaw explained.

"I can't wait for the Gathering!" Redpaw exclaimed. "You've just made me want to be there more!"

"Look there's the island!" Mosspaw called from behind us. A tree bridge came into view, and beyond it, a tree-covered island where I could scent cats already.

"This is going to be so exciting." I breathed.

**...**

**A/N: The Gathering! I'll be accepting a few OCs to fill up the other Clans, so you can submit yours in a review, just fill out this form:**

**Name:**

**Clan:**

**Rank:**

**Description:**

**Family/History (Optional):**

**Extra Details:**

**Thanks! **

**Reviews are always welcomed. **

**Love, Twistedstep.**


	7. Chapter Six

**A/N: Hello! Thanks to Glowingfur, Fantasyland, and I Luv Warriors for submitting cats and reviewing! Also, I had three cans of Coke this morning, and I cranked this chapter out in less than half an hour, so look for another chapter up soon, I hope! **

**Chapter Six:**

"Is that the tree-bridge?" Redpaw asked Morningpaw as we approached the island.

"Yes, but it's not as scary as it looks. I don't think anyone has fallen off of it yet, but Mosspaw came pretty close the first time we came here." The older apprentice joked.

"I had to pull him back up." Foxleap meowed from where he was walking with Rosepetal behind us. "Don't make me have to do it again." He shot a look at his daughter, Redpaw.

Redpaw stuck her chin in the air. "I would never do such a thing." She stated, and confidently strutted across the tree-bridge.

"Well, she made it successfully." Fernpaw stated once the red apprentice had reached the other end. "I'll go next."

Mosspaw followed her across, and then it was my turn. "You can go, Frostpaw. Flowerpaw and I will be right behind you in case you fall." Morningpaw told me.

I took a deep breath, and stepped onto the rotting wood. It crushed a little underneath my paws, and I quickly unsheathed my claws in order to get a better grip. About halfway across, I felt my paws slip out from underneath me, and I closed my eyes, waiting to feel the splash of water.

It never came. I felt jaws close around the scruff of my neck, bringing me safely back onto the perilous bridge. I opened my eyes and saw that it was Flowerpaw, her blue eyes gleaming with determination.

"T-thank you, Flowerpaw. You saved me from going for a swim!" I meowed, hesitantly resuming my journey to the other end.

"No problem, I couldn't let you fall." My denmate replied, following me closely to the island.

"Look at all the cats!" Redpaw meowed in awe when we all had crossed the bridge.

"And it seems like ShadowClan isn't even here yet. Look, there are Mistystar and Onestar in the Great Oak." Fernpaw observed, padding deeper into the masses of cats. "Come on, Redpaw, Frostpaw; let me introduce you to some other apprentices." She suggested.

Redpaw and I rushed over to where Fernpaw, Flowerpaw, Morningpaw, and Mosspaw now stood. "Frostpaw, Redpaw, these are the apprentices from WindClan and RiverClan. The brown tabby tom is Gorgepaw, Gingerpaw is obviously the ginger she-cat, Spottedpaw is the tortoiseshell and white she-cat, and the silver tabby she-cat is Tansypaw. They're all from WindClan." Morningpaw pointed at each cat with her tail as she described them.

"And here are the apprentices from RiverClan, Mottledpaw is the mottled gray tom, Horsepaw is the tall brown tom, Russetpaw is the dark red tabby she-cat, the black she-cat is Hiddenpaw, and the dark red tabby tom is Duckpaw." The apprentices that were introduced nodded politely.

"Oh, and these are Frostpaw and Redpaw, I think that you can tell which one is which." Fernpaw told them. "But because I know that Gorgepaw and Duckpaw aren't the brightest stars in the sky, I'll tell you. Frostpaw's the white she-cat and Redpaw is the dark red tabby she-cat."

Duckpaw snorted. "I don't know about Gorgepaw, but I could definitely tell which one was which, Fernpaw."

"Look, there's ShadowClan!" Morningpaw announced as a group of cats flooded onto the island. "I wonder why they were so late."

"I don't see Blackstar anywhere. Rowanclaw's hopping up into the tree…uh, oh, this can only mean one thing." Spottedpaw muttered, her voice high-pitched and chirpy.

"That Blackstar is dead and that Rowanclaw is now Rowanstar? I think so." Russetpaw agreed.

"Cats of all Clans, let the Gathering begin!" Onestar rasped from his place on the tree.

"I would like to speak first, please." Rowanclaw or Rowanstar requested. Bramblestar, Mistystar, and Onestar dipped their heads to the ginger tom.

"You probably have noticed that Blackstar isn't here. That's because he is seriously ill, and Littlecloud has stayed back at our camp to care for him. Littlecloud doesn't think he'll get over the sickness, but for now he is still our leader, and I am still his deputy.

"However, ShadowClan has more than just bad news. Odd-eyes and Coalpelt have been given their warrior names," I searched the crowd for the two cats and found them in a circle of ShadowClan cats. They were both dark gray toms, and one had mismatched eyes. That must have been Odd-eyes, and Coalpelt must have been his brother. "Also, Dawnpelt has given birth to a healthy little she-cat with her mate Scorchfur." The ShadowClan deputy finished, stepping back so Mistystar could take his place.

"Welcome, Rowanclaw. RiverClan sends their best wishes to Blackstar, in hope that he will get over his illness. Now, RiverClan has two new apprentices, Gingerpaw and Duckpaw," The two ginger cats sat up prouder next to me. "And Graymist and Mintfur have retired to the elder's den. Also, Onestar, we scented strange cat scent near our border on your side. You should look out for any unfamiliar cats." She added, looking at the brown tabby leader.

"Thank you, Mistystar, I'll tell my patrols to be on the lookout." Onestar meowed as he took the blue-gray she-cat's place. "We have a new litter of kits; Clearwater has given birth to Breezepelt's kits, Whitekit and Blackkit. Two of our apprentices are now warriors; let's give a cheer for Juniperberry and Goldenwater." I saw two light brown tabby she-cats with their chests puffed out basking in the calls near the back of a WindClan group. "It's your turn, Bramblestar."

"Thank you, Onestar. Before I announce anything, I'd like to let you know, Rowanclaw, that one of our patrols scented fox about a quarter moon ago, but we haven't smelled anything since. Maybe it crossed over into your territory." The dark tabby leader suggested.

Rowanclaw shook his head. "There have been no traces of fox anywhere on ShadowClan land, but thanks anyway for letting us know." He meowed graciously.

"Now with the good news; ThunderClan has eight new apprentices. Of Rosepetal and Foxleap's litter, only Redpaw is here. Her sister Honeypaw and her brother Raypaw were not able to attend this Gathering." Redpaw nervously looked around as cats stared at her. "And of Cinderheart and Lionblaze's litter, only Frostpaw is here, her four brothers, Sootpaw, Firepaw, Blazepaw and Goldpaw were held back for the same reason as Raypaw."

I ducked my head as eyes turned to me. _I probably still look like a kit,_ I thought as critical glances swept across my tiny body.

"Flossfeather has given birth to her first litter. She has a little tom and a she-cat, named Nettlekit and Poolkit, respectively. Also, Lilypaw has been given her official medicine cat name, she is now Lilyblossom. I think that concludes the Gathering, if no cat has anything left to say." The island was silent. "Okay, the Gathering has officially ended!" He hopped out of the tree.

"So you have four brothers." Mottledpaw turned to me. I nodded, and he continued. "I was the only one in my litter, so I never had the chance to find out what having littermates was like."

I snorted. "Believe me, it's not a fun time. You're free to take any of my brothers when ever you want. Mouse-dung, you can take them all!" The gray mottled apprentice let out a little _mrrow_ of laughter.

"Well, I've got to go. See you at the next Gathering, Frostpaw!" Mottledpaw called as he followed Gingerpaw and Duckpaw to where RiverClan was gathered.

"I think someone likes Mottledpaw." A sneaky voice meowed in my ear. I whirled around, and found myself nose-to-nose with Morningpaw.

"What? No! I only met him today, I don't even know him. Plus, we're just friends. He's from RiverClan anyway to what would I want to do with him? I mean-"

"I was kidding, Frostpaw, but the way you protested I think that there are some feelings brewing in your heart. Just remember that forbidden romances never work out." I nodded, and padded after my friend.

**...**

"Catch, Frostpaw!" Honeypaw called as she tossed a wad of moss to me. I hooked it on one claw and brought it to the ground.

"Come on, Honeypaw, we have to change the moss in both the nursery and the elder's den, and we haven't even started yet." Flowerpaw complained as she carried more moss in her jaws.

"Fine." Honeypaw muttered as she entered the elder's den. I followed after her, carrying the moss that she had thrown.

"Hi, Sandstorm." I greeted my great-grandmother. "Hello, Dustpelt, Graystripe, Brightheart, Thornclaw, Brackenfur and Cloudtail."

All of the elders meowed a greeting back except for Dustpelt, who just rolled over in his nest and ordered, "Aren't you here to get our ticks? I have one on my shoulder that is really bothering me."

I sighed. "Sootpaw, where's the mouse bile that you're supposed to be bringing?" I called to my brother. The gray tom skidded into the elder's den with a wad of stinking moss in his jaws, just narrowly missing Brackenfur.

"Whoa, sorry Brackenfur." He apologized to the golden brown tom. "I was talking to Lilyblossom, Frostpaw."

"Well, she is the medicine cat apprentice…" I trailed off, beginning to scrape the old moss out of Brightheart and Cloudtail's nests, replacing it with new, fresher moss.

With four of us working, we got done with the elders pretty quickly, the only setback was when Sootpaw dropped the mouse bile on a pile of new moss, and we had to go collect more from Jayfeather.

"There. Now, on to the nursery." Flowerpaw grumbled as we made our way to the bramble bush where the kits and queens slept.

"Hello, Icecloud, how are you doing?" Honeypaw called to the white queen who had moved into the nursery a couple of days ago. She hadn't said who's kits she was expecting.

"Frostpaw, Frostpaw, hi!" Poolkit and Nettlekit squeaked from where they tussled in the corner. Vixenkit, looking awfully bored, lay next to them. She would become an apprentice soon.

"Good, thank you." Icecloud replied. "How is Morningpaw's training going?" She asked. Since she could no long train her apprentice, Rosepetal had taken over.

"It's going great. Rosepetal's a lot like you, so there isn't much of a change with the mentors." Fernpaw told the queen. "Now, if you could sit up for a moment, I could get the moss out from under you."

"Hey, where are Daisyfur and Flossfeather?" I wondered. Both of their nests were empty. "And where is Squirrelflight?"

"Squirrelflight, the impatient mouse-brain that she is, went on patrol with Bramblestar. Flossfeather convinced Daisyfur to go out for a walk in the forest with her, so I'm in charge of Vixenkit, Poolkit, and Nettlekit for the moment." The white queen replied.

"You've got your paws full." Honeypaw joked. "But I just love kits; I want some of my own one day…" She sighed.

"I'm sure Dewfur will be happy to oblige." Sootpaw told the cream-colored she-cat. It was true, ever since Honeypaw had stayed back from the Gathering to stay with him while he was sick; he had followed her around like a lovesick songbird. Finally Sorreltail had gotten so fed up about him never doing any work while he was with her, she had assigned him to border patrol and Honeypaw to clean out the dens.

Honeypaw giggled a little. "Well, he's awfully sweet…and handsome…and strong." She gushed.

"Please, save it for him. We've got to finish cleaning." Flowerpaw reminded her.

"Who do you want as a mate, Flowerpaw?" Sootpaw asked hesitantly.

Flowerpaw looked up, startled by the question. "Uh, I don't know. It's a bit early for me to think about this. I mean, I'm only an apprentice." She glanced at my gray tabby brother with a strange look in her eyes.

"Oh. Okay." Sootpaw meowed quietly, and went back to dabbing mouse bile on tiny Poolkit's back.

The nursery was finished even quicker than the elder's den, and we emerged to find that is was past sunhigh.

"Erm, Sootpaw, can I talk to you for a moment?" Flowerpaw asked, motioning to behind the apprentice's den. "Over there?"

Sootpaw nodded. "I suppose so…" He mumbled nervously.

"I can tell that Sootpaw likes Flowerpaw, and I think that she likes him back." Honeypaw observed.

"Well, it's not that hard to tell!" I replied.

"Yeah, good point…Who do you like in the Clan?" Honeypaw asked.

"Wh-what do you mean?" I meowed, startled. I, in fact, knew exactly what she meant, but didn't want to reply.

"Mouse-brain. You know what I mean."

"I honestly don't like any cat in ThunderClan that way, Honeypaw." I told her. That was true, but it wasn't whole truth. I didn't like any tom in ThunderClan, no, but I may like one in a different Clan.

**…**

**A/N: Here is the coveted moment when I reveal the Allegiances of the other Clans! I know they might be a little confusing, so if you have any questions feel free to send me a PM or post a review, and I'll gladly answer it.**

**Allegiances:**

ThunderClan:

**Leader:** Bramblestar: Broad-shouldered dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Deputy:** Squirrelflight: Dark ginger she-cat with green eyes and a bushy tail

**Medicine Cat:** Jayfeather: Dark grey mottled tabby tom with blind blue eyes

**Apprentice: Lilypaw**

**Warriors:**

Millie: Striped gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Sorreltail: Tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Leafpool: Light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes; former medicine cat

Spiderleg: Long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

Birchfall: Light brown tabby tom

Whitewing: White she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentice: Frostpaw**

Berrynose: Cream-colored tom

**Apprentice: Firepaw**

Mousewhisker: Gray and white tom

Hazeltail: Small gray and white she-cat

Poppyfrost: Tortoiseshell she-cat

**Apprentice: Honeypaw**

Cinderheart: Gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Lionblaze: Golden tabby tom with amber eyes

**Apprentice: Flowerpaw**

Foxleap: Reddish tabby tom

**Apprentice: Mosspaw**

Icecloud: White she-cat

**Apprentice: Morningpaw**

Toadstep: Black-and-white tom

**Apprentice: Raypaw**

Rosepetal: Dark cream-colored she-cat

Briarlight: Dark brown she-cat

Blossomfall: Tortoiseshell and white she-cat

**Apprentice: Blazepaw**

Bumblestripe: Very pale gray tom with black stripes

**Apprentice: Fernpaw**

Dovewing: Pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Ivypool: Silver and white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

**Apprentice: Redpaw**

Moleclaw: Brown and cream tom

**Apprentice: Goldpaw**

Cherrynose: Ginger she-cat

**Apprentice: Sootpaw**

Seedpelt: Very pale ginger she-cat

Dewfur: Gray tom with amber eyes

Snowstorm: White tom with amber eyes

Ambergaze: Gray she-cat with white paws and amber eyes

Stoneclaw: Pale gray tom

Stripefang: Broad-shouldered dark tabby tom with amber eyes

Hollynight: Black she-cat with blue eyes

**Apprentices:**

Lilypaw: Dark tabby she-cat with white patches

Fernpaw: Pale cream-colored she-cat with darker cream flecks

Flowerpaw: Tortoiseshell she-cat

Morningpaw: Golden tabby she-cat

Mosspaw: Gray tom with blue eyes

Redpaw: Dark red she-cat

Raypaw: Dark cream-colored tom

Honeypaw: Light cream-colored she-cat

Frostpaw: Tiny white she-cat with gray eyes

Sootpaw: Gray tabby tom

Blazepaw: Dark gold tabby tom

Goldpaw: Gold and white tom

Firepaw: Dark ginger tom

**Queens:**

Squirrelflight: Dark ginger she-cat with green eyes and a bushy tail

(Mother to Bramblestar's kit: Vixenkit- dark red tabby she-cat with white forepaws and a bushy tail)

Flossfeather: Small gray and white she-cat from the Horseplace

(Mother to Poolkit- Small gray she-cat with blue eyes; Nettlekit- small black and gray tabby tom with green eyes)

Daisyfur: Long furred cream-colored she-cat from the Horseplace

**Elders:**

Graystripe: Long-haired gray tom

Sandstorm: Pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Dustpelt: Dark brown tabby tom

Brackenfur: Golden brown tabby tom

Thornclaw: Golden brown tabby tom

Brightheart: White she-cat with ginger patches

Cloudtail: Long-haired white tom with blue eyes

**ShadowClan:**

**Leader:** Blackstar: Large white tom with black paws

**Deputy:** Rowanclaw: Ginger tom

**Medicine Cat:** Very small brown tabby tom

**Apprentice: Lavenderpaw**

**Warriors:**

Toadfoot: Dark brown tom

Crowfrost: Black and white tom

**Apprentice: Featherpaw**

Ratscar: Brown tom with a long scar along his back

Snowbird: Pure white she-cat

Tawnypelt: Tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentice: Shiningpaw**

Olivenose: Tortoiseshell she-cat

Owlclaw: Light brown tabby tom

Shrewfoot: Gray she-cat with black feet

Scorchfur: Dark gray tom

**Apprentice: Quailpaw**

Tigerheart: Dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Starlingwing: Ginger tom

**Apprentice: Curlpaw**

Sandtail: Light ginger she-cat with white paws

Chirpingbird: Dark ginger she-cat

Glowingfur: Light gold she-cat with blue eyes

Ringtail: Black tom with white rings around his tail

Odd-eyes: Dark gray tabby tom with one blue eye and one amber eye

Coalpelt: Dark gray tom

**Apprentices:**

Lavenderpaw: Light gray tabby she-cat with green eyes

Featherpaw: Light gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Shiningpaw: Blue-gray she-cat with white patches

Quailpaw: Golden brown tabby tom

Curlpaw: Golden brown she-cat with curly fur

**Queens:**

Applefur: Mottled brown she-cat

(Mother to Owlclaw's kits: Brownkit: Mottled brown tom; Speckledkit: Light brown she-cat with white spots on her back)

Dawnpelt: Cream-colored she-cat

(Mother to Scorchfur's kit: Lakekit: Cream-colored she-cat with blue eyes)

Splashpelt: Black she-cat with white paws

(Expecting Odd-eyes' kits)

**Elders: **

Cedarheart: Dark gray tom

Oakfur: Small brown tom

Smokefoot: Black tom

**WindClan:**

**Leader:** Onestar: Brown tabby tom

**Deputy**: Heathertail: Light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

**Medicine Cat:** Kestrelflight: Mottled gray tom

**Apprentice: Risingpaw**

**Warriors:**

Crowfeather: Dark gray tom

Nightcloud: Black she-cat

Weaselfur: Ginger tom with white paws

**Apprentice: Gorgepaw**

Harespring: Brown and white tom

**Apprentice: Gingerpaw**

Leaftail: Dark tabby tom with amber eyes

Emberfoot: Gray tom with two black paws

Breezepelt: Black tom with amber eyes

Sedgewhisker: Light brown tabby she-cat

**Apprentice: Spottedpaw**

Swallowtail: Dark gray she-cat

**Apprentice: Tansypaw**

Sunstrike: Tortoiseshell she-cat with a large white mark on her forehead

Whiskernose: Light brown tom

Boulderfur: Large pale gray tom

Crouchwhisker: Light brown tabby tom

Rabbitfoot: Ginger and white she-cat

Sparrowclaw: Brown tabby tom

Juniperberry: Light brown tabby she-cat

Goldenwater: Light gold tabby she-cat

**Apprentices:**

Risingpaw: Gold and black tom

Gorgepaw: Brown tabby tom

Gingerpaw: Ginger she-cat

Spottedpaw: Tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Tansypaw: Silver tabby she-cat

**Queens:**

Furzepelt: Gray and white she-cat

(Mother to Leaftail's kits: Cliffkit: Light gray tabby tom; Rockkit: Dark gray tabby she-cat; Smallkit: Tiny dark tabby she-cat with white paws; Wetkit: Light gray she-cat with white patches)

Clearwater: White tabby she-cat with blue eyes

(Mother to Breezepelt's kits: Blackkit: Black she-cat with amber eyes; Whitekit: White she-cat with amber eyes)

**Elders:**

Tornear: Gray tabby tom

Ashfoot: Gray she-cat

Whitetail: Small white she-cat

**RiverClan:**

**Leader:** Mistystar: Blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes

**Deputy:** Reedwhisker: Black tom

**Medicine Cat:** Willowshine: Gray tabby she-cat

**Warriors:**

Icewing: White she-cat with blue eyes

Minnowtail: Dark gray she-cat

**Apprentice: Hiddenpaw**

Pebblefoot: Mottled gray tom

**Apprentice: Mottledpaw**

Mallownose: Light brown tabby tom

**Apprentice: Horsepaw**

Robinwing: Tortoiseshell and white tom

**Apprentice: Russetpaw**

Grasspelt: Light brown tom

**Apprentice: Duckpaw**

Hollowflight: Dark brown tabby tom

Mossyfoot: Brown and white she-cat

Rushtail: Light brown tabby tom

Runningwater: Light gray tabby she-cat

Orangeeyes: Gray tom with orange eyes

Sneezenose: Gray and white she-cat

Cranefeather: White tabby tom

**Apprentices**:

Mottledpaw: Mottled gray tom

Horsepaw: Long-legged dark brown tom

Russetpaw: Dark red tabby she-cat

Hiddenpaw: Black she-cat

Duckpaw: Dark red tabby tom

**Queens: **

Petalfur: Gray and white she-cat

(Mother to Pebblefoot's kits: Furrykit: Light gray she-cat with fuzzy fur; and Meltedkit: Mottled gray she-cat with blue eyes)

Mosspelt: Tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

(Expecting Mallownose's kits)

**Elders:**

Duskfur: Brown tabby she-cat

Graymist: Pale gray tabby she-cat

Mintfur: Light gray tabby tom

Dapplenose: Mottled gray she-cat

**A/N: Reviews are always welcomed.**

**Love, Twistedstep.**


	8. Chapter Seven

**A/N: Hello! Thanks to Glowingfur, Fantasyland, and I Luv Warriors for submitting cats and reviewing! Also, I had three cans of Coke this morning, and I cranked this chapter out in less than half an hour, so look for another chapter up soon, I hope! **

**Chapter Six:**

"Is that the tree-bridge?" Redpaw asked Morningpaw as we approached the island.

"Yes, but it's not as scary as it looks. I don't think anyone has fallen off of it yet, but Mosspaw came pretty close the first time we came here." The older apprentice joked.

"I had to pull him back up." Foxleap meowed from where he was walking with Rosepetal behind us. "Don't make me have to do it again." He shot a look at his daughter, Redpaw.

Redpaw stuck her chin in the air. "I would never do such a thing." She stated, and confidently strutted across the tree-bridge.

"Well, she made it successfully." Fernpaw stated once the red apprentice had reached the other end. "I'll go next."

Mosspaw followed her across, and then it was my turn. "You can go, Frostpaw. Flowerpaw and I will be right behind you in case you fall." Morningpaw told me.

I took a deep breath, and stepped onto the rotting wood. It crushed a little underneath my paws, and I quickly unsheathed my claws in order to get a better grip. About halfway across, I felt my paws slip out from underneath me, and I closed my eyes, waiting to feel the splash of water.

It never came. I felt jaws close around the scruff of my neck, bringing me safely back onto the perilous bridge. I opened my eyes and saw that it was Flowerpaw, her blue eyes gleaming with determination.

"T-thank you, Flowerpaw. You saved me from going for a swim!" I meowed, hesitantly resuming my journey to the other end.

"No problem, I couldn't let you fall." My denmate replied, following me closely to the island.

"Look at all the cats!" Redpaw meowed in awe when we all had crossed the bridge.

"And it seems like ShadowClan isn't even here yet. Look, there are Mistystar and Onestar in the Great Oak." Fernpaw observed, padding deeper into the masses of cats. "Come on, Redpaw, Frostpaw; let me introduce you to some other apprentices." She suggested.

Redpaw and I rushed over to where Fernpaw, Flowerpaw, Morningpaw, and Mosspaw now stood. "Frostpaw, Redpaw, these are the apprentices from WindClan and RiverClan. The brown tabby tom is Gorgepaw, Gingerpaw is obviously the ginger she-cat, Spottedpaw is the tortoiseshell and white she-cat, and the silver tabby she-cat is Tansypaw. They're all from WindClan." Morningpaw pointed at each cat with her tail as she described them.

"And here are the apprentices from RiverClan, Mottledpaw is the mottled gray tom, Horsepaw is the tall brown tom, Russetpaw is the dark red tabby she-cat, the black she-cat is Hiddenpaw, and the dark red tabby tom is Duckpaw." The apprentices that were introduced nodded politely.

"Oh, and these are Frostpaw and Redpaw, I think that you can tell which one is which." Fernpaw told them. "But because I know that Gorgepaw and Duckpaw aren't the brightest stars in the sky, I'll tell you. Frostpaw's the white she-cat and Redpaw is the dark red tabby she-cat."

Duckpaw snorted. "I don't know about Gorgepaw, but I could definitely tell which one was which, Fernpaw."

"Look, there's ShadowClan!" Morningpaw announced as a group of cats flooded onto the island. "I wonder why they were so late."

"I don't see Blackstar anywhere. Rowanclaw's hopping up into the tree…uh, oh, this can only mean one thing." Spottedpaw muttered, her voice high-pitched and chirpy.

"That Blackstar is dead and that Rowanclaw is now Rowanstar? I think so." Russetpaw agreed.

"Cats of all Clans, let the Gathering begin!" Onestar rasped from his place on the tree.

"I would like to speak first, please." Rowanclaw or Rowanstar requested. Bramblestar, Mistystar, and Onestar dipped their heads to the ginger tom.

"You probably have noticed that Blackstar isn't here. That's because he is seriously ill, and Littlecloud has stayed back at our camp to care for him. Littlecloud doesn't think he'll get over the sickness, but for now he is still our leader, and I am still his deputy.

"However, ShadowClan has more than just bad news. Odd-eyes and Coalpelt have been given their warrior names," I searched the crowd for the two cats and found them in a circle of ShadowClan cats. They were both dark gray toms, and one had mismatched eyes. That must have been Odd-eyes, and Coalpelt must have been his brother. "Also, Dawnpelt has given birth to a healthy little she-cat with her mate Scorchfur." The ShadowClan deputy finished, stepping back so Mistystar could take his place.

"Welcome, Rowanclaw. RiverClan sends their best wishes to Blackstar, in hope that he will get over his illness. Now, RiverClan has two new apprentices, Gingerpaw and Duckpaw," The two ginger cats sat up prouder next to me. "And Graymist and Mintfur have retired to the elder's den. Also, Onestar, we scented strange cat scent near our border on your side. You should look out for any unfamiliar cats." She added, looking at the brown tabby leader.

"Thank you, Mistystar, I'll tell my patrols to be on the lookout." Onestar meowed as he took the blue-gray she-cat's place. "We have a new litter of kits; Clearwater has given birth to Breezepelt's kits, Whitekit and Blackkit. Two of our apprentices are now warriors; let's give a cheer for Juniperberry and Goldenwater." I saw two light brown tabby she-cats with their chests puffed out basking in the calls near the back of a WindClan group. "It's your turn, Bramblestar."

"Thank you, Onestar. Before I announce anything, I'd like to let you know, Rowanclaw, that one of our patrols scented fox about a quarter moon ago, but we haven't smelled anything since. Maybe it crossed over into your territory." The dark tabby leader suggested.

Rowanclaw shook his head. "There have been no traces of fox anywhere on ShadowClan land, but thanks anyway for letting us know." He meowed graciously.

"Now with the good news; ThunderClan has eight new apprentices. Of Rosepetal and Foxleap's litter, only Redpaw is here. Her sister Honeypaw and her brother Raypaw were not able to attend this Gathering." Redpaw nervously looked around as cats stared at her. "And of Cinderheart and Lionblaze's litter, only Frostpaw is here, her four brothers, Sootpaw, Firepaw, Blazepaw and Goldpaw were held back for the same reason as Raypaw."

I ducked my head as eyes turned to me. _I probably still look like a kit,_ I thought as critical glances swept across my tiny body.

"Flossfeather has given birth to her first litter. She has a little tom and a she-cat, named Nettlekit and Poolkit, respectively. Also, Lilypaw has been given her official medicine cat name, she is now Lilyblossom. I think that concludes the Gathering, if no cat has anything left to say." The island was silent. "Okay, the Gathering has officially ended!" He hopped out of the tree.

"So you have four brothers." Mottledpaw turned to me. I nodded, and he continued. "I was the only one in my litter, so I never had the chance to find out what having littermates was like."

I snorted. "Believe me, it's not a fun time. You're free to take any of my brothers when ever you want. Mouse-dung, you can take them all!" The gray mottled apprentice let out a little _mrrow_ of laughter.

"Well, I've got to go. See you at the next Gathering, Frostpaw!" Mottledpaw called as he followed Gingerpaw and Duckpaw to where RiverClan was gathered.

"I think someone likes Mottledpaw." A sneaky voice meowed in my ear. I whirled around, and found myself nose-to-nose with Morningpaw.

"What? No! I only met him today, I don't even know him. Plus, we're just friends. He's from RiverClan anyway to what would I want to do with him? I mean-"

"I was kidding, Frostpaw, but the way you protested I think that there are some feelings brewing in your heart. Just remember that forbidden romances never work out." I nodded, and padded after my friend.

**...**

"Catch, Frostpaw!" Honeypaw called as she tossed a wad of moss to me. I hooked it on one claw and brought it to the ground.

"Come on, Honeypaw, we have to change the moss in both the nursery and the elder's den, and we haven't even started yet." Flowerpaw complained as she carried more moss in her jaws.

"Fine." Honeypaw muttered as she entered the elder's den. I followed after her, carrying the moss that she had thrown.

"Hi, Sandstorm." I greeted my great-grandmother. "Hello, Dustpelt, Graystripe, Brightheart, Thornclaw, Brackenfur and Cloudtail."

All of the elders meowed a greeting back except for Dustpelt, who just rolled over in his nest and ordered, "Aren't you here to get our ticks? I have one on my shoulder that is really bothering me."

I sighed. "Sootpaw, where's the mouse bile that you're supposed to be bringing?" I called to my brother. The gray tom skidded into the elder's den with a wad of stinking moss in his jaws, just narrowly missing Brackenfur.

"Whoa, sorry Brackenfur." He apologized to the golden brown tom. "I was talking to Lilyblossom, Frostpaw."

"Well, she is the medicine cat apprentice…" I trailed off, beginning to scrape the old moss out of Brightheart and Cloudtail's nests, replacing it with new, fresher moss.

With four of us working, we got done with the elders pretty quickly, the only setback was when Sootpaw dropped the mouse bile on a pile of new moss, and we had to go collect more from Jayfeather.

"There. Now, on to the nursery." Flowerpaw grumbled as we made our way to the bramble bush where the kits and queens slept.

"Hello, Icecloud, how are you doing?" Honeypaw called to the white queen who had moved into the nursery a couple of days ago. She hadn't said who's kits she was expecting.

"Frostpaw, Frostpaw, hi!" Poolkit and Nettlekit squeaked from where they tussled in the corner. Vixenkit, looking awfully bored, lay next to them. She would become an apprentice soon.

"Good, thank you." Icecloud replied. "How is Morningpaw's training going?" She asked. Since she could no long train her apprentice, Rosepetal had taken over.

"It's going great. Rosepetal's a lot like you, so there isn't much of a change with the mentors." Fernpaw told the queen. "Now, if you could sit up for a moment, I could get the moss out from under you."

"Hey, where are Daisyfur and Flossfeather?" I wondered. Both of their nests were empty. "And where is Squirrelflight?"

"Squirrelflight, the impatient mouse-brain that she is, went on patrol with Bramblestar. Flossfeather convinced Daisyfur to go out for a walk in the forest with her, so I'm in charge of Vixenkit, Poolkit, and Nettlekit for the moment." The white queen replied.

"You've got your paws full." Honeypaw joked. "But I just love kits; I want some of my own one day…" She sighed.

"I'm sure Dewfur will be happy to oblige." Sootpaw told the cream-colored she-cat. It was true, ever since Honeypaw had stayed back from the Gathering to stay with him while he was sick; he had followed her around like a lovesick songbird. Finally Sorreltail had gotten so fed up about him never doing any work while he was with her, she had assigned him to border patrol and Honeypaw to clean out the dens.

Honeypaw giggled a little. "Well, he's awfully sweet…and handsome…and strong." She gushed.

"Please, save it for him. We've got to finish cleaning." Flowerpaw reminded her.

"Who do you want as a mate, Flowerpaw?" Sootpaw asked hesitantly.

Flowerpaw looked up, startled by the question. "Uh, I don't know. It's a bit early for me to think about this. I mean, I'm only an apprentice." She glanced at my gray tabby brother with a strange look in her eyes.

"Oh. Okay." Sootpaw meowed quietly, and went back to dabbing mouse bile on tiny Poolkit's back.

The nursery was finished even quicker than the elder's den, and we emerged to find that is was past sunhigh.

"Erm, Sootpaw, can I talk to you for a moment?" Flowerpaw asked, motioning to behind the apprentice's den. "Over there?"

Sootpaw nodded. "I suppose so…" He mumbled nervously.

"I can tell that Sootpaw likes Flowerpaw, and I think that she likes him back." Honeypaw observed.

"Well, it's not that hard to tell!" I replied.

"Yeah, good point…Who do you like in the Clan?" Honeypaw asked.

"Wh-what do you mean?" I meowed, startled. I, in fact, knew exactly what she meant, but didn't want to reply.

"Mouse-brain. You know what I mean."

"I honestly don't like any cat in ThunderClan that way, Honeypaw." I told her. That was true, but it wasn't whole truth. I didn't like any tom in ThunderClan, no, but I may like one in a different Clan.

**…**

**A/N: Here is the coveted moment when I reveal the Allegiances of the other Clans! I know they might be a little confusing, so if you have any questions feel free to send me a PM or post a review, and I'll gladly answer it.**

**Allegiances:**

ThunderClan:

**Leader:** Bramblestar: Broad-shouldered dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Deputy:** Squirrelflight: Dark ginger she-cat with green eyes and a bushy tail

**Medicine Cat:** Jayfeather: Dark grey mottled tabby tom with blind blue eyes

**Apprentice: Lilypaw**

**Warriors:**

Millie: Striped gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Sorreltail: Tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Leafpool: Light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes; former medicine cat

Spiderleg: Long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

Birchfall: Light brown tabby tom

Whitewing: White she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentice: Frostpaw**

Berrynose: Cream-colored tom

**Apprentice: Firepaw**

Mousewhisker: Gray and white tom

Hazeltail: Small gray and white she-cat

Poppyfrost: Tortoiseshell she-cat

**Apprentice: Honeypaw**

Cinderheart: Gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Lionblaze: Golden tabby tom with amber eyes

**Apprentice: Flowerpaw**

Foxleap: Reddish tabby tom

**Apprentice: Mosspaw**

Icecloud: White she-cat

**Apprentice: Morningpaw**

Toadstep: Black-and-white tom

**Apprentice: Raypaw**

Rosepetal: Dark cream-colored she-cat

Briarlight: Dark brown she-cat

Blossomfall: Tortoiseshell and white she-cat

**Apprentice: Blazepaw**

Bumblestripe: Very pale gray tom with black stripes

**Apprentice: Fernpaw**

Dovewing: Pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Ivypool: Silver and white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

**Apprentice: Redpaw**

Moleclaw: Brown and cream tom

**Apprentice: Goldpaw**

Cherrynose: Ginger she-cat

**Apprentice: Sootpaw**

Seedpelt: Very pale ginger she-cat

Dewfur: Gray tom with amber eyes

Snowstorm: White tom with amber eyes

Ambergaze: Gray she-cat with white paws and amber eyes

Stoneclaw: Pale gray tom

Stripefang: Broad-shouldered dark tabby tom with amber eyes

Hollynight: Black she-cat with blue eyes

**Apprentices:**

Lilypaw: Dark tabby she-cat with white patches

Fernpaw: Pale cream-colored she-cat with darker cream flecks

Flowerpaw: Tortoiseshell she-cat

Morningpaw: Golden tabby she-cat

Mosspaw: Gray tom with blue eyes

Redpaw: Dark red she-cat

Raypaw: Dark cream-colored tom

Honeypaw: Light cream-colored she-cat

Frostpaw: Tiny white she-cat with gray eyes

Sootpaw: Gray tabby tom

Blazepaw: Dark gold tabby tom

Goldpaw: Gold and white tom

Firepaw: Dark ginger tom

**Queens:**

Squirrelflight: Dark ginger she-cat with green eyes and a bushy tail

(Mother to Bramblestar's kit: Vixenkit- dark red tabby she-cat with white forepaws and a bushy tail)

Flossfeather: Small gray and white she-cat from the Horseplace

(Mother to Poolkit- Small gray she-cat with blue eyes; Nettlekit- small black and gray tabby tom with green eyes)

Daisyfur: Long furred cream-colored she-cat from the Horseplace

**Elders:**

Graystripe: Long-haired gray tom

Sandstorm: Pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Dustpelt: Dark brown tabby tom

Brackenfur: Golden brown tabby tom

Thornclaw: Golden brown tabby tom

Brightheart: White she-cat with ginger patches

Cloudtail: Long-haired white tom with blue eyes

**ShadowClan:**

**Leader:** Blackstar: Large white tom with black paws

**Deputy:** Rowanclaw: Ginger tom

**Medicine Cat:** Very small brown tabby tom

**Apprentice: Lavenderpaw**

**Warriors:**

Toadfoot: Dark brown tom

Crowfrost: Black and white tom

**Apprentice: Featherpaw**

Ratscar: Brown tom with a long scar along his back

Snowbird: Pure white she-cat

Tawnypelt: Tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentice: Shiningpaw**

Olivenose: Tortoiseshell she-cat

Owlclaw: Light brown tabby tom

Shrewfoot: Gray she-cat with black feet

Scorchfur: Dark gray tom

**Apprentice: Quailpaw**

Tigerheart: Dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Starlingwing: Ginger tom

**Apprentice: Curlpaw**

Sandtail: Light ginger she-cat with white paws

Chirpingbird: Dark ginger she-cat

Glowingfur: Light gold she-cat with blue eyes

Ringtail: Black tom with white rings around his tail

Darkfang: Black and dark brown tom with long fangs and orange eyes

Odd-eyes: Dark gray tabby tom with one blue eye and one amber eye

Coalpelt: Dark gray tom

**Apprentices:**

Lavenderpaw: Light gray tabby she-cat with green eyes

Featherpaw: Light gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Shiningpaw: Blue-gray she-cat with white patches

Quailpaw: Golden brown tabby tom

Curlpaw: Golden brown she-cat with curly fur

**Queens:**

Applefur: Mottled brown she-cat

(Mother to Owlclaw's kits: Brownkit: Mottled brown tom; Speckledkit: Light brown she-cat with white spots on her back)

Dawnpelt: Cream-colored she-cat

(Mother to Scorchfur's kit: Lakekit: Cream-colored she-cat with blue eyes)

Splashpelt: Black she-cat with white paws

(Expecting Odd-eyes' kits)

**Elders: **

Cedarheart: Dark gray tom

Oakfur: Small brown tom

Smokefoot: Black tom

**WindClan:**

**Leader:** Onestar: Brown tabby tom

**Deputy**: Heathertail: Light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

**Medicine Cat:** Kestrelflight: Mottled gray tom

**Apprentice: Risingpaw**

**Warriors:**

Crowfeather: Dark gray tom

Nightcloud: Black she-cat

Weaselfur: Ginger tom with white paws

**Apprentice: Gorgepaw**

Harespring: Brown and white tom

**Apprentice: Gingerpaw**

Leaftail: Dark tabby tom with amber eyes

Emberfoot: Gray tom with two black paws

**Apprentice: Cloudpaw**

Breezepelt: Black tom with amber eyes

Sedgewhisker: Light brown tabby she-cat

**Apprentice: Spottedpaw**

Swallowtail: Dark gray she-cat

**Apprentice: Tansypaw**

Sunstrike: Tortoiseshell she-cat with a large white mark on her forehead

Whiskernose: Light brown tom

Boulderfur: Large pale gray tom

Crouchwhisker: Light brown tabby tom

Rabbitfoot: Ginger and white she-cat

Sparrowclaw: Brown tabby tom

Juniperberry: Light brown tabby she-cat

Goldenwater: Light gold tabby she-cat

**Apprentices:**

Risingpaw: Gold and black tom

Gorgepaw: Brown tabby tom

Gingerpaw: Ginger she-cat

Spottedpaw: Tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Tansypaw: Silver tabby she-cat

Cloudpaw: Light brown she-cat with white patches

Bouncepaw: Dark ginger tom with black specks; one blue eye and one green eye

**Queens:**

Furzepelt: Gray and white she-cat

(Mother to Leaftail's kits: Cliffkit: Light gray tabby tom; Rockkit: Dark gray tabby she-cat; Smallkit: Tiny dark tabby she-cat with white paws; Wetkit: Light gray she-cat with white patches)

Clearwater: White tabby she-cat with blue eyes

(Mother to Breezepelt's kits: Blackkit: Black she-cat with amber eyes; Whitekit: White she-cat with amber eyes)

**Elders:**

Tornear: Gray tabby tom

Ashfoot: Gray she-cat

Whitetail: Small white she-cat

**RiverClan:**

**Leader:** Mistystar: Blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes

**Deputy:** Reedwhisker: Black tom

**Medicine Cat:** Willowshine: Gray tabby she-cat

**Apprentice: Lilacpool**

**Warriors:**

Icewing: White she-cat with blue eyes

**Apprentice:** **Rainpaw**

Minnowtail: Dark gray she-cat

**Apprentice: Hiddenpaw**

Longwhisker: Dark brown tabby she-cat

**Apprentice: Pebblepaw**

Pebblefoot: Mottled gray tom

**Apprentice: Mottledpaw**

Mallownose: Light brown tabby tom

**Apprentice: Horsepaw**

Robinwing: Tortoiseshell and white tom

**Apprentice: Russetpaw**

Grasspelt: Light brown tom

**Apprentice: Duckpaw**

Hollowflight: Dark brown tabby tom

Mossyfoot: Brown and white she-cat

Rushtail: Light brown tabby tom

Runningwater: Light gray tabby she-cat

Orangeeyes: Gray tom with orange eyes

Sneezenose: Gray and white she-cat

Cranefeather: White tabby tom

**Apprentices**:

Lilacpool: Pale silver she-cat with white paws and magenta-blue eyes

Rainpaw: Silver and white she-cat with light blue eyes

Puddlepaw: Light gray she-cat with green eyes

Mottledpaw: Mottled gray tom

Horsepaw: Long-legged dark brown tom

Russetpaw: Dark red tabby she-cat

Hiddenpaw: Black she-cat

Duckpaw: Dark red tabby tom

**Queens: **

Petalfur: Gray and white she-cat

(Mother to Pebblefoot's kits: Furrykit: Light gray she-cat with fuzzy fur; and Meltedkit: Mottled gray she-cat with blue eyes)

Mosspelt: Tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

(Expecting Mallownose's kits)

**Elders:**

Duskfur: Brown tabby she-cat

Graymist: Pale gray tabby she-cat

Mintfur: Light gray tabby tom

Dapplenose: Mottled gray she-cat

**A/N: Reviews are always welcomed.**

**Love, Twistedstep.**


	9. Chapter Eight

**A/N: Sorry for such a late update! **

**This is quite a mysterious chapter...tell me what you think!**

**Chapter Eight:**

I dreamed that I was hunting. I was hot on the heels of a plump rabbit, just about to catch it. I caught up to it and leapt on the animal's back. I was just about to nip its neck when the dream changed.

I was floating in the air above a lake. _That's the lake that the Clans live around. _I realized, noticing the island in the middle. _There's ThunderClan territory._

I was quite enjoying the view, suspended in thin air, when it all changed. From the ThunderClan territory spread a thick blanket of ice, covering the lake, then the island, then WindClan, ShadowClan, and RiverClan areas. The ice froze over, and I could see a white mist rising up from it, seemingly heading right for my hanging body.

When the mist hit me, I expected to feel coldness on my pelt. That never happened. Instead, it felt like the mist passed right through my fur and chilled my insides. My heart and soul were freezing over.

I began to fall; slowly at first, then faster and faster until my body was rushing at the lake at breathtaking speed. I closed my eyes as I neared the frozen water. Just as I hit it, I felt my heart stop. Oh, I was so cold.

I crashed through the ice with a loud _crack_. I sank into the water; it was colder than the air and the mist. The water gripped my body and sent me soaring through its depths. At that point, I didn't know how I was aware of anything happening to my cold, lifeless body.

After a couple of seconds of rushing through the water underneath the ice, my body burst through the ice once again, and I landed on dry ground. Somehow I knew that it was ThunderClan territory. I blinked my eyes open one last time and I looked at the stars.

_I'm freezing._

**…**

"Wake up, Frostpaw, wake up! Oh, Honeypaw, she won't wake up!" I heard Redpaw yowling from somewhere close to my ears. I shifted slightly to get away from her, but she didn't seem to notice.

"Give it up, Redpaw. There's nothing we can do now." A softer meow that I recognized as Honeypaw's sighed wearily. "Frostpaw is with StarClan now."

_What? No, wait, I'm not dead! _I tried to yell, but my mouth wouldn't move.

"Wait, are you sure that she's actually…gone?" Morningpaw's meow asked hesitantly.

"Yes, of course! Do you really think that I'd lie about something like this?" Redpaw cried, nearing hysterics. "She's just so cold. So, so cold." She sobbed, leaning her red head to nuzzle my fur.

"What happened in here?" That was Jayfeather. One of the apprentices must have called him when they couldn't wake me up.

"Well, Goldpaw and I had dawn patrol this morning, and when we came back, Whitewing was waiting for Frostpaw to go for battle practice. Now, you know that Frostpaw didn't like battle practice so Whitewing thought she was protesting about it by staying in the den." I noticed that Honeypaw had used the past when talking about how I don't like battle practice.

"So she told us to go wake her up, and we found her like this. She's so cold." I could just picture my three friends leaning into each others neck fur, sobbing. The thought made me want to cry.

I felt Jayfeather nudge me with his muzzle. "Great StarClan, she's freezing." He exclaimed, prodding the rest of my body.

"I know. I don't know how she can be like that if she only- if she only d-died last night." Redpaw agreed sadly.

"I honestly don't know what happened here." Jayfeather meowed after an examination of my so-called corpse. "This must have something to do with StarClan, because I haven't seen anything like this anywhere."

I felt Jayfeather move himself away from my body, but he still sat there and looked at me. Then, I felt something strange. It was as if something- or _someone_- was slithering through my brain, seeing my thoughts and knowing what I'm thinking.

I knew it was Jayfeather. I had heard the nursery tales about Firestar, Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Dovewing, the special Four that saved all of the Clans from the Dark Forest, and I knew that one of Jayfeather's special powers was to reach into other cats' minds.

I wanted to tell him to stop that, to get out of my head and to never do it again. I hated the feeling of being vulnerable, my mind open and ready for critique and criticism.

However, I couldn't do that. I had to tell him that I, in fact, wasn't dead, and I didn't want to take a dirt nap anytime soon. Since I couldn't do that through actual words, I realized that I could communicate with Jayfeather as he was scouring my brain.

_I'm not dead, Jayfeather, I'm not dead. I just can't move or talk. Please help me out of this, I had a strange dream that I'll tell you all about when you get me out of this trance, I promise. And, by the way, get out of my head once you've gotten this message_.

I felt Jayfeather jump back in surprise. Of course he was shocked; I was supposed to be dead.

"B-but that's impossible!" He mumbled in surprise.

"What's impossible?" Redpaw asked from behind him. I heard sniffles coming from her general direction, and I supposed that she, Honeypaw, and Morningpaw were grieving already.

"S-she's alive!" Jayfeather proclaimed, standing up straight. "She's alive, but in a trance. I'm not sure how to get her out of it, but the good thing is is that Frostpaw is not dead."

_"What?" _

"It's true! I went into her brain just as an afterthought, just in case there were any memories left behind that could lead me to some answers, and she yelled at me! Mentally, of course, but still yelling." Jayfeather explained to the hysterical she-cat apprentices. I heard a collective sigh of relief.

"Oh my StarClan, Frostpaw, don't ever do that again." Morningpaw breathed.

_It wasn't my choice_. I thought irritably.

"Now, let's see if I can get you unfrozen." Jayfeather mumbled. I wasn't sure whether he was speaking to me or just to himself, but either way it was good to have some warning before he delved into my mind.

It was the same snake-like sensation as before, except worse. I felt as if there were a thousand maggots writing in my brain, eating through it and leaving scars. If I had been able to open my mouth and make a sound, I would have been screaming and howling like a wolf at the full moon.

"I think I've found what I'm looking for." Jayfeather-in-my-head meowed in triumph. "Now I just have to warm it up…" He trailed off, and it felt like my brain was being shaken around. It made me want to be sick.

Then, all was calm. I felt Jayfeather emerge from my mind, and my head settled down.

"Shouldn't she be out of her trance now?" Honeypaw asked nervously.

"It could take a few moments." Jayfeather answered, although he didn't sound very sure about it himself.

"Where's my Frostpaw?" Cinderheart must have just entered. "Lilyblossom told Lionblaze and me about her. Will she be alright?" My mother fretted.

Jayfeather seemed to hesitate on answering. "Well, I went into her brain and warmed it up. She should be alright. I mean, she can think rationally and all, but she just can't move or talk."

Cinderheart let out a breath. "Good. So she should be up and running in a little while, right?"

"I would hope so."

"This means so much to us, Jayfeather." Lionblaze thanked his brother. "Really, none of the other medicine cats would be able to do this, and then what? Frostpaw would be buried and proclaimed dead even when she isn't? I'm glad ThunderClan has you."

"Shut it, Lionblaze. You know I don't like it when you get all mushy and stuff." Jayfeather growled teasingly.

I heard a scuffling outside of the apprentice's den. I could just make out my brothers' voices, plus the meows of Stripefang, Mosspaw, Raypaw, Fernshine and Flowerpetal.

"Is everything alright in there?" Flowerpetal called.

"Frostpaw will be fine, just don't come in here. There are too many cats in here. I think we should leave Frostpaw and Jayfeather in here, so he can have some peace and quiet while he works." Cinderheart reasoned, padding out of the den. I heard Honeypaw, Redpaw, Morningpaw and Lionblaze follow her.

"Now, Frostpaw, tell me about that dream of yours." Jayfeather whispered in my ear. I shuddered inwardly. This meant more brain-exploring. I braced myself for the pain, but it still hurt.

I recounted my dream to Jayfeather the best I could, but there was no way of letting him know about how much that chilling mist froze my heart, how much hitting the ice pained my body, and what it felt like to look up to the stars and know that they sent this dream.

"I'll get to work on figuring that out, Frostpaw. I'll ask StarClan tonight when Lilyblossom and I visit the Moonpool tonight." Jayfeather told me, slipping out from inside my head. I sighed in relief.

Hang on. _I sighed in relief_. I could move.

At first it was only my neck and head, but then I could twist my legs and stomach, getting rid of the cramps that had formed as I was stuck in the uncomfortable position. I attempted to speak, but it didn't seem that I had regained my voice.

"Yes, yes, it worked! I think you just had to get that dream out of your system, Frostpaw." Jayfeather cheered, unconsciously calling the group of cats who were waiting outside back into the apprentice's den.

"Frostpaw, you're back! Oh my StarClan, I thought you were a goner! Don't ever do that to me again!" Morningpaw warned me as my mother tried to smother me with licks.

_It's not as if I had a choice to do it in the first place._ I grumbled inwardly.

**...**

**A/N: So, how was it?**

**Reviews are always welcomed.**

**Love, Twistedstep.**


	10. Chapter Nine

**A/N: Hello, everyone. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! It really means a lot to me that you like my story so much.**

**A note to everyone who submitted their OCs: I'll fit them into the allegiances and Gathering scene as soon as I can! It's kind of difficult, but I'm doing my best.**

**Chapter Nine:**

StarClan's POV:

"ThunderClan leaders of the past, I have an announcement." A blue-gray she-cat yowled from where she stood in front of a group of cats. "A very special cat has just been born into ThunderClan."

"Not _another_ prophecy, is it, Bluestar? It seems as if that's all that happens to ThunderClan nowadays." A golden-ginger tom with amber eyes grumbled.

Bluestar shot the ginger a sharp look. "No, Sunstar, it isn't. In fact, if it weren't for her parents and littermates, this cat wouldn't be out of the ordinary at all." She admitted.

"Who is this she-cat, and what will happen to her?" A pretty gray tabby she-cat asked from near the back.

"Her parents haven't named her quite yet, but we will know shortly, Pebblestar. However, her future will be unique, and what she does with her life could affect all of ThunderClan." Bluestar answered.

"How do we know this information?" A dark brown tom called out.

"Rock. He occasionally comes into StarClan, bearing important information about prophecies and such."

"Why should we trust Rock? We hardly know anything about him." The same brown tom countered.

"Well, Barkstar, we have Jayfeather's word for him. Also, he knows some things about StarClan and the formation of the Clans that not even we know." Bluestar looked down at Barkstar as if willing him to argue against her.

"Yes, because we know that that information is completely and utterly correct." Barkstar retorted, his dark amber eyes glittering.

"Stop this, Barkstar, Bluestar." A fire-colored ginger tom cut off Bluestar before she could say anything else. "Barkstar, cut it out. If Jayfeather, Midnight and not to mention most of StarClan trusts Rock, then we should also trust him. This is not the time to argue. This is the time to discuss the outcome of this she-kit's birth peacefully."

Bluestar sighed. "You're right as always, Firestar." She gave the ginger tom a nod. "Anyways, about this she-kit. Rock says that she's got a future unlike any other, and that she should be warned of it as soon as possible. I think that we should send her a dream in one moon-"

Firestar shook his head. "I don't think so. If this she-kit has a great or not-so-great future ahead of her, then I think we should wait until she matures more. Maybe we could send it when she's a moon into her apprenticeship." He suggested, scanning the crowd of former leaders for any outbursts.

"I think Firestar's right." A brown tabby tom agreed. "The she-kit should have some time to get used to being a part of ThunderClan."

"Thank you, Pinestar, but if we send a dream or something that late, then it'll be more of a shock than if we sent it when she was still a kit." Bluestar reasoned. "This way, she'll grow up knowing that she's special, and she won't make any mistakes."

"I respect your opinions, Bluestar, but I still think that we should wait for her to grow up a bit before we send some jaw-dropping news. Think of how shocked you would be if you were told that you weren't like other kits when you were only one moon old." Firestar told the blue-gray she-cat.

"I'd be delighted to know that I was special." Bluestar replied.

"But you're strange that way. Tell me, past ThunderClan leaders, would you want to be in this situation if you were still a kit?" Firestar yowled to the cats.

"I wouldn't like it one bit." Pebblestar announced sheepishly. "I'd think that I was meant to be a medicine cat or something like that."

"Thank you, Pebblestar." Firestar dipped his head to the gray tabby she-cat. "Anyone else?"

"It looks like you're the only one who would like it, Bluestar." A tortoiseshell she-cat meowed. "I don't think anyone else would think like you would at only one moon old." She shrugged.

"Starlingstar speaks the truth." Sunstar agreed.

"Alright. We will wait until she's older to tell Rock to give her the dream." Bluestar sighed and gave it. "Oh, it seems like her parents have given the she-cat a name!" She exclaimed suddenly.

"What is it?" Firestar wondered, sounding interested.

"Frostkit."

…

"Did you find anything out about Frostpaw's, ah, incident?" I heard Cinderheart ask Jayfeather and Lilyblossom from inside the medicine cat den.

Jayfeather sighed wearily. "Yes, Cinderheart, Lionblaze, but, honestly, it's moonhigh. Can't we talk about this in the morning?"

"But did you find anything out? You don't have to tell us what it is." Lionblaze pleaded.

"I know you, Lionblaze, and I know that if I tell you if I found anything, then you'll want to know what it is right away. And I am not telling you when the whole Clan is asleep!" Jayfeather retorted, sounding slightly irritated.

I was crouched behind the medicine cat den, my ear pressed to the brambles that wrapped around it. I had sat awake, unable to sleep, until Jayfeather and Lilyblossom had arrived back from the Moonpool. I had wanted to be the first cats to talk to them, but Cinderheart and Lionblaze had beaten me to it.

It's not like I could just walk in there and sit down, either. My parents would order me to go back to my nest, tell me that I had training tomorrow, and that Jayfeather or Lilyblossom would catch me up on what happened in the morning. But I didn't want to sleep. If I closed my eyes and offered my brain to whatever had sent me that dream, they could send me more. I didn't want to be frozen again.

"But Jayfeather! You know what happened to our daughter! We need to know what went on in her brain. Was it a message from StarClan? Or maybe it was a prophecy! Oh, Lionblaze, I knew that one of our kits would be cursed from having two parents that had a prophecy…" Cinderheart sobbed. I could picture my father nuzzling my mother's head, and Jayfeather rolling his eyes.

Wait, where was Lilyblossom? I hadn't heard her during the whole conversation. She was probably asleep. I glanced around just to see if anyone had spotted me here yet. No cat had, so I turned back to the medicine cat den and found a dark brown tabby head filling my vision.

"Hi." Lilyblossom greeted. "I see that you're eavesdropping. Why?" She observed.

I leaned back, my heart beating rapidly. "Geez, Lilyblossom. You gave me quite a shock." I breathed, purposely dodging her question.

She rolled her blue eyes. "I'm guessing you're trying to find out what happened at the Moonpool, correct?"

I nodded, subdued.

"Well, I'll have you know that StarClan itself did not send that dream of yours, but an _affiliate_, you could say, of theirs. His name is allegedly Rock, and Jayfeather seems to know him." Lilyblossom explained, sitting down.

"But why would this Rock guy send the dream, not StarClan?" I wondered. It just didn't make sense.

"Bluestar and Firestar say that Rock was the one that had, ah, _special_ information on you in the first place, so he wanted to be the one to give you the dream. Plus, he's the only one that can do the frozen-body-trance thing."

"What special information? Why did he do the frozen-body-trance thing? What is the point of all of this?" I cried, exasperated.

"Hush." Lilyblossom warned, looking around to see if anyone had heard me. "So, supposedly you have a future ahead of you like no cat has ever had before. It's not a prophecy, but a warning to be careful with your life. And the frozen-body-trance thing, we really need to have a better name for that, was so you got Jayfeather's attention and so you didn't just brush it off as an especially strange dream."

I frowned. "What is my _'future'_?"

Lilyblossom shrugged. "How am I supposed to know? Not even Bluestar knows, though she says that Rock knows."

"Can Rock tell someone?"

"He refuses to. He says that cats shouldn't know what's going to happen to their life before it happens. You should just make the right decisions and hope it turns out right." Lilyblossom replied.

"But that defeats the point of knowing the future. Shouldn't you share it with the cat so they can avoid it if it's a bad thing?" I reasoned, cocking my head in confusion.

Lilyblossom shrugged. "Rock says that's basically cheating at life. Life should be played out at its own pace, not slowed down nor sped up."

I snorted. "You make it sound as if life is a game that we can start over whenever we would like to."

"Rock's and Bluestar's words, not mine."

"I think this Rock cat is a mouse-brain. I should know what's going to happen to my life if he has the knowledge." I meowed, frustrated with the situation.

Lilyblossom rolled her eyes. "Be careful with what you say, Frostpaw. Rock is probably one of the most powerful cats that has ever lived. He knows more than all of StarClan combined, and he can see snatches of the future. And remember, he's the one who sent you into the trance. He can do so much worse than that." She warned.

"I don't care. This is _my_ life we're talking about here, not Rock's." I huffed stubbornly.

"Look Frostpaw, you don't have to like the situation, but you're going to have to go along with it. You can't disobey Jayfeather or Bramblestar, and you most definitely can't go against StarClan. Just accept that your life is planned out, and no cat is meant to know what their future holds." Lilyblossom told me wisely.

"Also, I've got to go. I think that Cinderheart and Lionblaze are out of the medicine cat den now, and Jayfeather thinks that I'm making dirt." The dark brown tabby she-cat looked at me. "Don't try to find out anything else, Frostpaw. Jayfeather and I will be monitoring StarClan for any other information. Be patient." She meowed finally and padded around the medicine cat den.

I sighed, feeling conflicted. I wanted to know more about what was supposed to happen to me, but at the same time, I wanted to follow the directions of my elders. I decided to wait until the morning to think about it any more.

I walked slowly back to the apprentice's den, hesitant to go to sleep. Finally, I settled down into my nest and waiting for sleep to come to me.

If StarClan wanted for me to sleep, I would. If they didn't, I wouldn't.

**A/N: How was that?**

**Reviews are always welcomed.**

**Love, Twistedstep.**


	11. Chapter Ten

**A/N: Look! Another chapter in the same day! W00t!**

**Chapter Ten: **

I stumbled into the training arena, bleary-eyed and late.

"Frostpaw! Where have you been?" Whitewing exclaimed, padding over to me. "You overslept again, didn't you?" She muttered, picking up on my bedraggled appearance. "That's the third time this quarter-moon! You can't just stay up the whole night because you don't want the dream to come, and then come traipsing in here late!"

"I understand that you're anxious, but you can't get behind on your training. Jayfeather and Lilyblossom said that they'd keep watch for any news from StarClan and they haven't heard anything, so you should be fine. You need to focus on your battle training!" Whitewing ranted. I would have been startled if I hadn't been so tired. Whitewing didn't yell all that often.

"It's not like the training is going to make any difference. I'm a horrible fighter." I meowed lethargically, flopping down onto the ground and leaning my head on my paws.

"No resting. If you think that you're a terrible fighter, than that's even more of a motivation to practice. Practice makes perfect." My mentor reminded me, nudging me to my feet once more.

I groaned. "But everyone beats me." I complained, "I bet even Vixenpaw can beat me, and she just became an apprentice yesterday." Vixenpaw's new mentor was Hazeltail, Morningpaw and Mosspaw's mother. The apprentice and mentor were out exploring the territory right now with Squirrelflight, who had resumed her deputy position.

"You just never_ try_, Frostpaw. I bet that you'll be a fantastic fighter if you just try your best."

I sighed. "You always say that, and after that I try, sort of. But then I'm just the same as I was before, miserable at best." I meowed truthfully, scraping my paws across the ground underneath Whitewing's sharp green gaze.

"I stand by what I said when you were first an apprentice. I'll get you to warrior status if it's the last thing that I do." Whitewing meowed determinedly. "Now, as your mentor, I'm telling you to practice. Do that flip-and-roll move that I showed you the last time you bothered to show up for practice."

I reluctantly performed the selected move, doing it nearly perfect, but landing on my back instead of my feet.

"That was a…good try."

I snorted. "Stop trying to make me feel better. I know that I'm horrible, and you can go and say it. I'll never get any better."

"Don't say that, Frostpaw! You'll be fine after some more practice!" Whitewing ordered, sounding shocked that I would say things like that.

...

"…Then, I beat Stoneclaw in a battle! _Stoneclaw_! A _warrior_! Can you believe that?" Blazepaw crowed, bouncing into the apprentice's den like he had wings on his paws.

"Congratulations. You're now the most stuck-up, big-headed cat in ThunderClan. You should have had Berrynose as your mentor." I mocked from where I laid in my nest.

"Come on, Frostpaw. Aren't you proud of me in the tiniest bit?" my brother asked, looking a bit hurt.

"Yeah, yeah, sure, but you don't have to come waving your accomplishment around in front of me when you know I'm a hopeless fighter." I sighed, turning over to look at the dark gold tom. "I'm happy for you, really, but at this point you'll become a warrior way before me."

Blazepaw walked over to me and put his muzzle on my shoulder. "Come one, you're a good apprentice. You're one of the best hunters in the Clan, and ninety-nine percent of the Clan respects you."

"Who is the other one percent?"

"Dustpelt. He likes no cat." Blazepaw quipped.

I smiled and giggled a little. "I could tell that Blazepaw was really trying to cheer me up, that he actually cared for me, and I decided to actually make an effort.

"You know what, how about we go practice some battle moves? You could help me." I suggested, heading for the entrance.

"Sounds good. I'll see if anyone else wants to go with us."

…

Blazepaw, Raypaw, and I returned from the training hollow sweaty and more tired than before. Despite that, however, it was a good work out and I think I improved. Of course, both Raypaw and Blazepaw beat me badly, but I didn't care. They really helped me.

When the three of us reentered the camp, we heard wails coming from the nursery. I was worried that something had happened to Flossfeather, Poolkit, or Nettlekit, but then I remembered that Icecloud was most likely having her kits.

And then I was worried again, because I liked Icecloud and I didn't want her kitting to be like Flossfeather's.

I walked over to where Redpaw, Honeypaw, and Morningpaw sat, a bit outside the nursery, and laid down next to Honeypaw.

"Hey Frostpaw. Where have you been?" Redpaw questioned, leaning over to look at me.

"I went to the training hollow with Blazepaw and Raypaw. They were teaching me some new moves, and I think I'm getting better." I replied, looking over at the nursery.

"That's always good. See, Whitewing was telling the truth. If you practice, then you'll get better." Honeypaw quoted.

"Practice doesn't make perfect, because there is no perfect, but you can get pretty darn close." Morningpaw chimed in.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." I rolled my gray eyes. "Is Icecloud kitting?"

"Obviously. She began not long after you guys left." Redpaw explained. "She still hasn't disclosed who the father of the kits is yet, but I'm sure we'll be able to tell once they're born."

"Plus it's always a bit suspicious when a queen doesn't tell whose kits she's expecting. It makes it seem like she has something to hide." Morningpaw offered.

"That's a stereotype. Maybe the she-cat doesn't want the kits to know their father for some reason or another." I shrugged.

At that moment, Lilyblossom scampered into the clearing. "Everything is fine! Icecloud has three kits, two she-kits and a tom!" She announced proudly.

The Clan cheered, and Icecloud's friends and relatives crowded the nursery. Redpaw, Honeypaw, Morningpaw and I attempted to enter, but Daisy held us back, saying that we could see them once everyone closer to Icecloud was finished.

When it was our time to go it, we found Icecloud curled around three very small kits. Two of them were white, and the other one was a silver tabby.

"They're so cute!" Morningpaw gasped, leaning over to nuzzle one of them. "What are their names?"

Icecloud smiled. "The silver tabby she-kit's name is Brookkit, the white she-kit is Shimmerkit, and the white tom is Coldkit." She named, pointing at the kits with her tail.

"Those are beautiful names." I breathed, looking down at the precious little bundles of fur.

"Who's the father?" Redpaw asked, loudly and tactlessly. Luckily, none of the kits were startled.

Icecloud looked down at her kits. "Who does Coldkit remind you of?" She queried. I glanced down at the little tom and I name popped into my mind.

"Snowstorm is the father?" Honeypaw beat me to it. "I didn't know you two were close at all."

The white queen shook her head sadly. "We weren't. We just sort of got a bit carried away one day, but I'm glad we did, because now we have three beautiful kits."

Honeypaw nodded eagerly. "I really want kits when I get older." She agreed.

"You'll just have to work extra hard to become a warrior then, Honeypaw." I laughed, partly as a joke, partly serious.

Honeypaw snorted. "Sometimes I wonder about you, Frostpaw." She poked, trotting out of the nursery before I could reply.

…

"The cats that will be attending the Gathering are: Squirrelflight, Jayfeather, Lilyblossom, Berrynose, Hazeltail, Brackenfur, Graystripe, Millie, Cloudtail, Dewfur, Ambergaze, Whitewing, Poppyfrost, Cinderheart, Toadstep, Rosepetal, Fernshine, Flowerpetal, Hollynight, Stripefang, Morningpaw, Mosspaw, Firepaw, Blazepaw, Sootpaw, Goldpaw, Vixenpaw, Redpaw and Honeypaw. I trust that the rest of you can defend the queens and other elders if needed. Thank you." Bramblestar yowled from the top of the Highledge.

My heart sunk as I realized that I was not attending this Gathering. I knew that I probably wasn't going to be able to, with my sub-par battle skills and my habit of showing up late for training.

The only cat who looked even more crestfallen than I probably looked was Raypaw. I couldn't blame him though, he hadn't been to any Gatherings yet. I wondered why Bramblestar hadn't included him on the patrol, but then I remembered that he had climbed the Sky Oak even when his mentor had told him not to. Not being able to attend the Gathering seemed pretty harsh for a punishment, though.

As the cats going to the Gathering slowly filed through the thorn barrier, I glanced over to where Raypaw sat, watching them leave with dull eyes. I decided to try and comfort him.

"Hi, Raypaw, can I sit with you?"

…

**A/N: To all the people who submitted OCs: The next chapter will be through Redpaw or Honeypaw or Morningpaw's eyes, so you _will_ get the whole Gathering experience. I promise that your OC will appear.**

**Reviews are always welcome.**

**Love, Twistedstep.**


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